This dish is a Spice Mountain original which came about through thinking about those curries which aren’t really curries, if that makes any sense! We got to imagining what might have happened if the South Americans had come up with curry, and this is the result. Although the spicing and the base are completely different, the dish uses exactly the same cooking process as a Southeast Asian rendang – simply mixing everything up in a pan, and leaving it to get on with it for three or four hours. The two basic seasonings used are our Peruvian spice blend and our Argentinian Chimichurri, beefed up with some extra Aji Amarillo (yellow chilli powder), and the result is a complex and intriguing set of flavours – smoky and fragrant, hot and deep, fruity with tomato. We used a piece of beef brisket cut into large chunks (exactly the same as in a rendang), but feel free to use regular diced stewing beef if you like (although the result will not be quite the same). This curry works best cooked in largish quantities, but bear in mind it freezes very well. It can be cooked in advance, and so is a great dish for dinner parties.
01.
Ingredients
750g piece of beef brisket, cut into 8-10 large chunks
4tsp garlic puree
2 tbs olive oil
4tsp Peruvian spice blend
4tsp Chimichurri blend
2tsp Aji Amarillo powder
2tsp Sweet smoked paprika
4tsp Tomato powder
2tsp salt
02.
Method
- Place the meat in a large, heavy pan or casserole, then add the other ingredients and mix well so the meat is completely covered by the spices. Add enough water to cover the meat, then bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Now simply leave the pan to bubble away, keeping an eye on the water and adding a little if necessary.
- If you are using brisket, the dish will take 3-4 hours to be ready, by which time the sauce will have thickened completely and the meat should be tender enough to break up with a fork.
- This dish goes very well with some plain boiled rice, but why not go totally Latino and serve with some patatas bravas on the side!
