Description
This Pressure Cooker Beef Curry recipe offers tender, flavorful beef simmered in a rich, aromatic sauce infused with spices like garam masala, turmeric, coriander, and cardamom. Using a pressure cooker speeds up the cooking process, producing a deliciously hearty curry perfect for serving with naan bread or rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Cooking Fat
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 500g beef, stewing or braising steak
- 1 tbsp butter
Aromatics and Spices
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 3 cardamom pods, crushed
Liquids and Additional Flavorings
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 500ml beef stock
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp double cream (optional)
- ½ small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
To Serve
- Naan bread or rice
Instructions
- Browning the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in your pressure cooker. Season the beef and fry it in batches for 5-8 minutes, turning occasionally until each piece is evenly browned. Remove the browned beef and set it aside on a plate.
- Cooking the Onion and Spices: Add the remaining oil and butter to the pressure cooker. Fry the chopped onion gently for about 10 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. Then add the crushed garlic, grated ginger, hot chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, and crushed cardamom pods. Fry this fragrant mixture for 2 more minutes to release the flavors.
- Combining Ingredients: Return the browned beef to the pot and stir for 1 minute to coat the meat in the spices. Add the canned chopped tomatoes, beef stock, and caster sugar. Stir well and bring everything to a simmer.
- Pressure Cooking – First Phase: Lock the lid onto the pressure cooker and bring it up to high pressure. Cook for 15 minutes. Afterward, turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Check the sauce; if it’s already very thick, add a little water to loosen it up.
- Pressure Cooking – Second Phase: Lock the lid back onto the cooker and cook for an additional 10 minutes at high pressure. Again, allow the pressure to drop naturally. Check the beef for tenderness, noting that depending on the cut, it might need an extra 5 minutes of cooking.
- Finishing Touches: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the garam masala and double cream if you choose to use it. Season the curry to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serving: Scatter the roughly chopped coriander over the curry and serve immediately with warm naan bread or steamed rice.
Notes
- You can adjust the chilli powder quantity according to your preferred spice level.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker, this curry can be made in a slow cooker or on the stovetop but will require longer cooking times.
- Adding double cream is optional but adds a lovely richness to the curry.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- For gluten-free option, ensure the naan bread is substituted with gluten-free bread or serve with rice only.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: beef curry, pressure cooker curry, Indian beef recipe, easy beef curry, spiced beef curry
