Sri Lankan roasted beef curry

Sri Lankan roasted beef curry

Eroshan Meewella shares his recipe for an An indulgent beef curry in a richly spiced coconut and tomato sauce. The two curry powders are ideal for making in larger batches and keeping; they’re the backbone of many Sri Lankan dishes and bring a distinctive taste.

Sri Lankan roasted beef curry

Serve with pol sambol on the side.

Along with his wife Aushi, Eroshan opened Sri Lankan restaurant Kolamba in London’s Soho in 2019. Serving a menu of dishes inspired by the food they ate growing up on the island, its success led to a second restaurant, Kolamba East, which opened near Liverpool Street in 2024. Follow them on Instagram at @kolamba.ldn

  • Serves icon Serves 6
  • Time icon Prep time 25 min, plus overnight marinating. Cook time 2 hours

Eroshan Meewella shares his recipe for an An indulgent beef curry in a richly spiced coconut and tomato sauce. The two curry powders are ideal for making in larger batches and keeping; they’re the backbone of many Sri Lankan dishes and bring a distinctive taste.

Serve with pol sambol on the side.

Along with his wife Aushi, Eroshan opened Sri Lankan restaurant Kolamba in London’s Soho in 2019. Serving a menu of dishes inspired by the food they ate growing up on the island, its success led to a second restaurant, Kolamba East, which opened near Liverpool Street in 2024. Follow them on Instagram at @kolamba.ldn

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
877kcals
Fat
31g (16g saturated)
Protein
123g
Carbohydrates
22g (15g sugars)
Fibre
5.9g
Salt
4.1g

Before you start

Make ahead This makes more of the curry powders than you will need. They will keep for up to a month in an airtight container.

Before you start

Make ahead This makes more of the curry powders than you will need. They will keep for up to a month in an airtight container.

Ingredients

For the unroasted curry powder

  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp black peppercorns

For the roasted curry powder

  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 4 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp basmati rice
  • 5 cloves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 20 curry leaves, ideally fresh
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 5 cardamom pods, bashed and seeds extracted
  • ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tbsp cumin seeds

For the beef

  • 50g white distilled vinegar
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fine salt
  • 2kg beef shin, cut into 5cm chunks

For the curry

  • Dash coconut or vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • 80g lemongrass
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • 8g curry leaves, ideally fresh, finely chopped
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 20g green chillies, finely sliced
  • 40g ginger, finely chopped
  • 40g garlic, finely chopped
  • 400g onions, finely chopped
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 80g tomato purée
  • 240g coconut milk
  • Sliced red onion, green chillies, pickled onions and fresh curry leaves, gently fried in a little oil until crisp, to garnish (optional)

 

Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. To make the unroasted curry powder, grind everything together using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, then set aside.
  2. To make the roasted curry powder, toast all the ingredients in a wide dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the mustard seeds are popping, then leave to cool. Grind to a powder using a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar.
  3. Mix all the ingredients for the beef (except the beef) in a large, deep container. Add the beef, stir, cover and chill overnight.
  4. The next day, pour the oil into a large saucepan over a high heat. Once smoking hot, add the beef in batches and sear until golden brown all over. Set aside.
  5. Turn the heat down to low-medium, then add the cloves, lemongrass, cardamom, curry leaves, cinnamon, fenugreek and chillies. Fry for a minute or 2 until aromatic, then add the ginger and garlic before tipping in the onions.
  6. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the onions are softened, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 8 minutes more, stirring regularly. Add the sugar and 20g each of the curry powders, stirring well (see Make Ahead). Add the tomato purée, marinated beef and 400ml water.
  7. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, then cook, uncovered, for 1 hour 30 minutes until the beef is very tender.
  8. Add the coconut milk, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Season to taste, then divide among bowls and top with the garnishes (if you like).

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
877kcals
Fat
31g (16g saturated)
Protein
123g
Carbohydrates
22g (15g sugars)
Fibre
5.9g
Salt
4.1g

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Share a tip

Or, how about...?

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Easy vegan

White pol sambol

Fresh, fiery, sweet and sour all at once, pol sambol...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Batch cooking

Caramelised coconut beef

Inspired by Indonesian rendang and Thai massaman, this intensely rich...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Diwali

Maunika Gowardhan’s lamb fry (Kolhapuri kaala lamb sukka)

Maunika Gowardhan shares her recipe for lamb fry, a classic...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Keralan stir-fried cabbage with spiced chicken kebabs

Cabbage is made exciting and exotic in this Keralan stir-fry...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Best-ever side dishes

Sri Lankan kale and carrot mallung

Mallung is a popular side dish in Sri Lanka, says...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Budget Christmas food gifts

Sri Lankan milk toffee (kiri aluwa)

Milk toffee (kiri aluwa) is similar to Scottish tablet: a...

Subscribe to our magazine

Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.

Subscribe

Unleash your inner chef

Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter

We treat your data with care. See our privacy policy. By signing up, you are agreeing to delicious.’ terms and conditions. Unsubscribe at any time.