Kerala Beef Fry Ularthiyathu

Kerala style beef fry - beef ularthiyathu - in a bowl.

5 from 1 vote

Learn to make authentic beef fry Kerala style (ularthiyathu) with tender beef, coconut, and curry leaves. This traditional South Indian recipe creates perfectly crispy, flavorful beef dry fry.

Servings servings

Ingredients

For Pressure Cooking Beef

2 lbs beef stew meat or beef chuck, cut into 2 inch pieces - 1 kg [See Note 1]
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder or to taste. [See Note 2]
2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder preferably freshly ground
1½ teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1½ teaspoon salt or to taste
2 teaspoon garlic minced
2 teaspoon ginger minced
½ cup shallots sliced
12 curry leaves [See Note 3]
½ cup water [See Note 4]

For Sauteing Beef

¼ cup coconut oil [See Note 5]
½ cup coconut slices fresh or frozen [See Note 6]
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups red onions sliced, about 2 medium
2 serrano pepper or to taste [See Note 7]
1 tablespoon ginger minced
1 tablespoon garlic minced
10 curry leaves
¼ teaspoon fennel powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon black pepper powder

Instructions

Pressure Cook Beef

Add 2 lbs beef stew meat, 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon fennel powder, 1½ teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder, 1½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon garlic, 2 teaspoon ginger, ½ cup shallots, 12 curry leaves, and ½ cup water to the Instant Pot [See Note 4].
Close the lid and pressure cook for 15 minutes at High Pressure.
Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR), press Cancel and open the lid. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods.]
Transfer the beef to a large bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the beef and the cooking liquid.

Saute the Beef

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the ¼ cup coconut oil over medium-high heat. Briefly saute ½ cup coconut slices for about a minute. Add the ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ¼ teaspoon salt and saute for another couple of minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add the 2 cups red onions, 2 serrano pepper, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 1 tablespoon garlic and saute until the onions are golden brown.
Add the reserved beef and 10 curry leaves. Sauté for about 3 minutes or until the beef starts to stick to the bottom. Add ¼ cup of the reserved liquid, scrape up all the brown bits, and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Add another ¼ cup of liquid and repeat this process until you’ve used up about all the liquid (or 1 to 1 ½ cups). Taste as you go! [See Note 8]
The sauce will thicken up to coat the beef pieces. There should not be any sauce in the pan, but the meat should not be too dry. It should be shiny and very dark. During the last few minutes of cooking, add ¼ teaspoon fennel powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, and ½ teaspoon black pepper powder to finish.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Don't use a lean cut of beef for this recipe. It cannot withstand this cooking method and will become tough!

Note 2: Kashmiri chili powder is a milder and more colorful chili powder. If using cayenne pepper, reduce the quantity and add some paprika for color.

Note 3: Curry leaves are an essential part of this recipe and there is no substitute. However, you can omit them if you can't find them.

Note 4: I pressure cook the beef with NO water! The beef release enough water to bring the Instant Pot to pressure. However, this makes most people nervous, so I suggest adding ½ cup of water, which should be enough. If you have trouble, add additional water.

Note 5: Coconut oil is another ingredient that is essential for authentic flavor. Vegetable oil works fine as a substitute.

Note 6: Don't use dried sliced coconut. Try and get either frozen slices or slice your own from a fresh coconut. Omit if you can't get it. If using frozen, thaw completely and dry with a paper towel.

Note 7: This is traditionally a spicy recipe, I've actually toned down the spice! You can adjust the quantity of chili peppers or just omit.

Note 8: This cooking method of sauteing the beef and reducing the liquid tenderizes the meat. It also builds up layers of flavor by adding the liquid a little at a time. You don’t need to use up all the liquid. Taste as you go and stop when you feel the beef tastes tender and flavorful.

Nutrition