Indian Beef Fry with Coconut Rice

A picture of Indian Beef Fry with Coconut Rice in a stainless steel pan.

Serving this dish next to coconut rice helps to cool down your meal.

Indian Beef Fry with Coconut Rice

I first learned about this Indian Beef Fry with Coconut Rice recipe from my sister-in-law, who makes amazing, traditional recipes. These recipes hail from her hometown – Kerala. Kerala is a region in southwest India where beef can and is served. But don’t you dare go looking for a buyer when there are FAR more interesting things to be had –  like this amazing beef fry. Tender, bite-sized chunks of beef are fried with shallots, coconut, green chilies, and spices – making for a spicy and aromatic dish that’s hard to stop heaping onto your plate.

I like making this dish almost a little TOO spicy so I can use the coconut rice to cool everything down. The coconut rice here works perfectly to highlight the coconut bits that are fried in with the beef and provides a nice, sweet compliment to the beef’s heat. It’s easily paired with a simple vegetable or even a salad for a balanced meal.

Indian Beef Fry with Coconut Rice in a stainless steel pot.

While the dish might look a little complicated, it actually comes together pretty easily, especially if you cut down your beef pieces evenly and bite-sized. We do a good bit of sautéing – first the shallots and chilies, then the beef, then the coconut before tying them all together. While you’re busy with that, the instant pot goes a long way, so that it can handle the coconut rice and be almost completely hands-off! So quick and easy, this dish is a must-try!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pictures of your creations on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok! Hashtag them #thehappyhaandi. And tag me @thehappyhaandi.

Indian Beef Fry with Coconut Rice

A spicy beef fry with a sweet, coconut rice
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Cast Iron Pan (or Skillet)

Ingredients
  

For the Beef Fry:

  • 1 lbs Beef (cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 3-4 Shallots (thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 cup Sliced Coconut Shredded Coconut works here too! Maybe 1/3 cup.
  • 3-4 Green Chilies (slit)
  • 2-3 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tbsp Chili Powder For medium heat, I usually add a little more.
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 5-6 Curry Leaves optional
  • Salt (to taste)

For the Coconut Rice:

  • 1 cup Rice Long grain and jasmine work best!
  • 3/4 cup Low-fat Coconut Milk
  • 3/4 cup Water
  • 1 tsp Sugar optional
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions
 

For the Beef Fry:

  • In a hot saute pan, start by frying the shallots with a little oil. As the shallots become translucent, add the garlic, green chilies, and salt along with 2-3 curry leaves (if using) to the pan. Fry until fragrant.
  • Next, slowly add the spices to the pan. If the mixture looks dry, add some water - a quarter teaspoon at a time - to wet the mixture and prevent the spices from burning. Be sure not to drown the mixture - I find that just a few of these tiny amounts of water to be plenty!
  • Once the shallots are cooked through, we'll add the beef and mix well to incorporate the shallot-spice mixture with the beef. Fry until the beef is cooked through and remove from the heat.
  • In a small, separate pan - heat a little oil and add the coconut. Let it sit in the heat for a minute or two before tossing gently as the mixture begins to brown. When it's lightly toasted, remove it from the heat and add it to the beef mixture.
  • Mix the coconut flakes to incorporate it through the dish and serve!

For the Coconut Rice:

  • To the instant pot, add the coconut milk, rice, water, salt and sugar and mix gently.
  • Seal and set the instant pot on high for 4 minutes.
  • Once the instant pot goes off at 4 minutes, allow it to naturally release pressure for an additional 10 minutes (the instant pot will count up to this time - just keep an eye on it or set a timer!).
  • Once the natural release reaches 10 minutes, manually release any remaining pressure (carefully!) and pop open the lid. Mix well and serve alongside the beef fry!

Video

Keyword Beef, Coconut, Rice
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