Kerala Beef Fry (Erachi Ulathiyathu)

Kerala Beef Fry recipe has hundreds of variations. It basically varies from region to region. Some people call Beef Fry as Beef Ularthiyathu while others call it as Beef Olathiyathu/Ulathiyathu. Whatever be the name or recipe followed for Beef Fry, the common approach is to Marinate and Cook the Beef and then Pan Fry till the beef is completely dry. Traditionally, Coconut Oil and Coconut Slices are used for the Nadan Beef Fry Recipe. I normally skip Coconut Slices but if you want the authentic taste, don’t skip the slices.

I prepare Erachi Ularthiyathu in different ways. Here is one recipe for Kerala Style Beef Ulathiyathu. This is a spicy recipe and tastes great. You can have this with Rice or Rotis or even as touchings for Drinks 😉

Ingredients

1. Cubed Beef – 2 lbs or 1 kg approx (I use Stew Beef for this recipe)
2. Thinly Sliced Onions – 1 big
3. Slit Green Chillies – 4
4. Curry Leaves – A sprig
5. Coconut Slices (Thenga Kothu) – 1/2 Cup [optional]
6. Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
7. Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
8. Meat Masala Powder – 1 tbsp
9. Home Made Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
10. Salt – to taste
11. Oil – 2 tbsp

Home Made Garam Masala Powder

You can dry roast and grind the following ingredients to make Fresh Garam Masala Powder.

1. Cloves (Gramboo) – 10
2. Cardamom (Elakka) – 4
3. Cinnamon stick (Patta/Karukapatta) – 2 pieces of 1” inch length each
4. Star Anise (Thakkolam/Nakshathra Poo) – 1
5. Fennel seeds (Perinjeerakam) – 1 tbsp

For Marination

1. Diced Shallots (Kunjulli) – 8
2. Minced Garlic – 5 or 6 cloves
3. Minced Ginger – 2 tbsp
4. Home Made Garam Masala Powder – 1 tbsp
5. Meat Masala Powder – 2 tbsp (I use Eastern Meat Masala Powder)
6. Red Chilly Powder – 1 tbsp
7. Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
8. Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
9. Pepper Powder – 1 tbsp
10. Curry Leaves – A sprig
11. Vinegar –  1 tbsp
12. Salt – to taste

Preparation Method

1. Wash the beef thoroughly and drain all water.
2. Marinate the beef with all the above ingredients and keep it aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Pressure cook the beef with 1/2 cup water. The cooking time varies depending on the beef used. For stew beef, I pressure cook it on medium heat for 2 whistles. The beef which we get in Kerala has a longer cooking time. So pressure cook accordingly (If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can cover and cook the beef in any big pan for around 45 minutes to 1 hour).
4. Meanwhile heat oil in a non stick pan and saute onions, green chillies and curry leaves until the onions become translucent.
5. You can add coconut slices at this stage and continue sauteing for a few more minutes.
6. Reduce heat and add red chilly powder, meat masala powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder. Saute for 2 minutes.
7. Open the pressure cooker and transfer half of the cooked meat without any liquids to the above pan.
8. Continue sauteing the beef so that the masala gets coated on the meat. Add salt if needed.
9. Roast the meat on medium low heat for 10-15 minutes till it is completely dry and turns into a dark brown color.
10. Serve with Rice/Chappathi or as a starter with Drinks.
11. You can use the remaining half of the pressured cooked meat and gravy as a Curry with Appam, Roti etc.