Yemeni Beef & Potato Stew Recipe

Ingredients

400g-500g diced braising or stewing steak
2 onions
400g carrots
1kg potatoes
400g tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
A thumb of ginger
A handful of flat leaf parsley
1 chilli (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
4 cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
400m-650mll boiling water
Sea salt
4 tbsp cold water (optional)

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Method

1. Warm a large frying pan (or large pan or casserole dish if you are cooking the stew on the hob) for 2 mins, then add 1 tbsp oil and the beef. Fry for 10 mins, turning every so often, till the beef is browned all over.

2. While the beef fries, peel and finely chop the onions. Trim, peel and thickly slice the carrots. From the point, either follow the method for the slow cooker or the hob.

3. In the slow cooker: Scoop the beef out of the pan and tip it into a 3½ ltr slow cooker. Lay the onions and carrots on top. Peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Dice the tomatoes. Add them to the slow cooker.

4. Peel and grate the garlic and ginger. Finely chop the parsley stalks (keep the leaves for later). Finely chop the chilli – for a milder flavour, scrape the seeds and white pith out of the chilli before you chop it, or leave the chilli out all together.

5. Add the garlic, ginger, parsley stalks and chilli (if you’re using it) to the slow cooker. Measure out 1 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and turmeric and add them too. Lightly press 4 cardamom pods with the back of a spoon to just open them up, then add them to the slow cooker with 2 cloves.

6. Drop in the bay leaf. Pour in 400ml boiling water and season with a good pinch of salt. Pop the lid on the slow cooker, set it to medium and cook for 6-8 hrs, stirring every so often. For a faster stew, set your slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hrs, or set it to slow and cook for 8-10 hrs.

7. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. When the stew is ready (the beef will be soft and tender) taste it and add a pinch more salt if you think it needs it. Ladle the stew into warm bowls, discarding the cardamom pods and cloves if you spot them, and garnish with the chopped parsley to serve.

8. On the hob: Scoop the beef out of the pan and pop it on a plate. Add the onions and carrots to the pan with 4 tbsp water. Season with a pinch of salt and fry for 8-10 mins, stirring often, till the veg have softened and picked up some colour.

9. While the veg fry, peel and chop the potatoes. Dice the tomatoes. Add the potatoes and tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring now and then, for 5 mins.

10. Peel and grate the garlic and ginger. Finely chop the parsley stalks (keep the leaves for later). Finely chop the chilli – for a milder flavour, scrape the seeds and white pith out of the chilli before you chop it, or leave the chilli out all together.

11. Add the garlic, ginger, parsley stalks and chilli (if you’re using it) to the pan. Measure out 1 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and turmeric and add them too. Lightly press 4 cardamom pods with the back of a spoon to just open them up, then add them to the pan with 2 cloves.

12. Return the beef and any juices to the pan. Drop in the bay leaf. Pour in 650ml boiling water and season with a good pinch of salt. Pop the lid on the pan and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 1½ hrs.

13. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. When the stew is ready (the beef will be soft and tender) taste the stew and add a pinch more salt if you think it needs it. Ladle the stew into warm bowls, discarding the cardamom pods and cloves if you spot them, and garnish with the chopped parsley to serve.