Beef and Plantain Curry

It was almost dinnertime.  The kids had just woken from their afternoon nap after a busy morning at the park and were starting to get hungry.  I was hungry!  A bottom blade pot roast was sitting in my fridge.  My intention was to make pressure cooker shredded beef with it using my stockpile of bone broth, but I spied a packet of coconut milk sitting in the pantry cabinet.  That coconut milk immediately made me think of Rendang, but time was short and my AIP-approved spice list shorter.  So what’s a gal with a limited spice list and craving for Rendang to do?

I decided to wing it and this was the outcome.  Adding a plantain was a last minute decision as I had been saving it for something else but decided to use it in the curry.  You know how sometimes we save a food ingredient for a ‘future use’ only to end up having it spoil on us?  Okay, maybe you don’t but I have a tendency to do that!  Anyhow, the plantain was mostly black and at the really ripe stage.  If it were an eating banana instead of a cooking banana, it would have been only good for banana bread (or the compost…).  But thankfully plantains are forgiving and it sliced easily and I slipped the chunks into the simmering curry.  I’m really glad I used it!

The curry has a rich and thick gravy due to the use of the coconut milk, and the very ripe plantain lends a subtle honeyed note without any use of added sweeteners.  It all comes together with an almost nutty and somewhat complex flavour, and the accompanying cassava couscous (Attiéké) helped to balance the richness of the dish.   It can’t be called Rendang and I wouldn’t dare call it so lest the purists protest.  Some substitutes leave one yearning even more for their original cravings but with this dish, I was utterly contented.

Ingredients (Serves 5-6)

For the marinade:

• 2 tsps coconut oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sea salt

• 2lbs bottom blade pot roast, cut into 1.5 – 2 inch cubes
• 2 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tsp coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 very ripe plantain (mostly black), sliced lengthwise and cut into 1 inch chunks
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Method (Using Instant Pot Pressure Cooker)

• In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, ginger powder, turmeric powder and sea salt with 2 tsps coconut oil.  Marinate beef with spice mixture for about 1 hour.  If you are short on time you can also marinate it right before cooking.
• Using the ‘Saute’ function of the Instant Pot, cook the onions in 3tsp coconut oil until translucent.  Remove and set aside.
• Working in batches, brown the marinated meat in the pressure cooker pot until seared on all sides.  Top up with extra oil if necessary.  Set aside.
• Pour the coconut milk into the pot, stirring gently to remove any browned bits of meat stuck to the bottom of the pot.  Add in the onions, browned meat, kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon stick.
• Cover the pot with the pressure cooker lid and set the valve to ‘sealing’.  Cook for 35 minutes under ‘Manual’ setting.
• Once the cooking time is completed, press ‘cancel’ and allow the cooker to cool naturally until the pressure is released.  You may speed up the pressure release duration by placing damp cool towels on the lid.
• Select the ‘Saute’ function and add in the plantain, stirring gently to mix.  Add sea salt to taste.  Let it simmer until the plantain is cooked and gravy thickened slightly.  If the plantain is very ripe, it should not take more than 5 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and kaffir lime leaves.  Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve.

Method (Stove top)

• In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, ginger powder, turmeric powder and sea salt with 2 tsps coconut oil.  Marinate beef with spice mixture for about 1 hour.  If you are short on time you can also marinate it right before cooking.
• Heat up a pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat and add 3 tsp coconut oil.  Cook the onions until translucent.  Remove and set aside.
• Working in batches, brown the marinated meat until seared on all sides.  Top up with extra oil if necessary.  Set aside.
• Pour the coconut milk into the pot, stirring gently to remove any browned bits of meat stuck to the bottom of the pot.  Add in the onions, browned meat, kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon stick.
• Bring to boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer with the lid on for about an hour.  Uncover and continue simmering very gently for about 20 minutes or until beef chunks are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add in the plantain, stirring gently to mix.  Add sea salt to taste.  Let it simmer until the plantain is cooked and gravy thickened slightly.  If the plantain is very ripe, it should not take more than 5 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and kaffir lime leaves.  Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve.

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