Turmeric Beef Stew and Coconut Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs beef cut into cube-like cuts
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed oil or vegetable oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 red chilies, chopped
• 2 lemon grass stalks, cut into pieces and crushed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 inch of fresh ginger root, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup hot water or stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons Mae Ploy
  
• 1 tablespoon sambal (can also use sriracha)
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 basil bunches stems removed, julienned
• 1 bunch of cilantro for garnish

Rice

• 2 cups rice
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 2 cups coconut milk I used this one

Cooking

1. in a bowl, combine the beef with the turmeric and set aside. heat a wok or heavy frying pan and add the oil. add and stir in the shallots, garlic, chilies, onion, ginger and lemon grass. cook on medium-high heat until fragrant.
2. add the beef, and cook until browned. add the curry powder, stir for a bit before adding in the water/stock, soy sauce, honey, mae ploy, rice vinegar, sambal and fish sauce. stir and bring to a boil. once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook on a gentle heat for 40 minutes, or until beef is tender and liquid has reduced. can also add thinly sliced onion to garnish as well.

Rice

1. rinse and drain rice until water is somewhat clear. add rice to a pot and turn heat on to medium, once rice starts to sizzle, add in the 1 cup water and stir for a few seconds.
2. add in the 1 cup coconut milk, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low simmer and cover and cook for 10 minutes or until liquid is gone and rice is cooked.
3. to serve the rice with the stew, scoop some rice into a small bowl and press and pack rice well into bowl with a spoon. flip upside down on a plate. tap the now top of the bowl (bottom of it) and lift. the rice should hold the form and shape of the bowl. you can either pour the stew right over the rice, or serve it next to it or you can even pour the stew round the rice in the center of the plate.

bon appetit