Meat curry is a staple around our house. Every time I tell my husband I’m making Indian food he asks, “Is it meat curry?”

I was asking him this week to tell me a story about India and he had the perfect one to go with this recipe.

“Every time I would visit Ummamma and Thathya in India I would go out and get fresh spices for the meals. Outside of the bungalow they were staying in, there was a chinta chiguru plant (tamarind plant). When it would blossom the kids and I would climb the tree and each gather an arm full of the tamarind plant. We would rush it back to Ummamma and she would make the best chinta chiguru mamsam. To this day it is still one of my favorite recipes.”

Chinta chiguru mamsam is a fancy meat curry. Today I want to show you all a basic meat curry that is just a delicious!

Ingredients:

1 tbs oil
1 tbs butter
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
1 green chili
½-1 tsp chili powder (this depends on your spice tolerance)
1 lb beef stew meat (lamb and goat)
1 cup spinach
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 tbs ground coriander powder
1/2 cup water
2 chopped tomatoes
1 tsp salt to taste

Directions:

Heat your pan over medium/low heat. When the pan is warm, add in your butter, and onions. When your onions are translucent, add in your ginger garlic and spices. Heat for 2-3 minutes. (Cooking the spices takes away the raw taste from them).

Add in your stew meat and cook for 15 minutes. Pour in water and tomatoes. Cook until the meat is tender for about 20 minutes. When the meat is just about done, add in your spinach and let the spinach wilt. Add in your salt and serve it with rice or naan.