Beef curry

A masterful union of sweet-and-sour pomegranate rubies with melt-in-the-mouth beef and onions.

Makes 4 generous servings Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 3 hours Oven temperature: 180°C

• 2kg mixed beef shin, chuck and rump steak (more meat than bone)

• 3 medium-sized red onions, thickly sliced

• 1 tin whole tomatoes

• 1 tin coconut milk

• 125ml chopped fresh coriander

• 250ml pomegranate rubies SPICE PASTE

• 1 red chilli, chopped

• 5ml each coriander, fennel and cumin seeds, and fenugreek

• 3cm fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated

• 3cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

• 2 garlic cloves

• 15ml mustard seeds

• 30ml oil

• 45ml red wine vinegar

• 45ml tomato paste

1 Grind all the ingredients for the spice paste with a stick blender. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2 Trim off the fat from the meat and cut it into blocks. Cut the meat into equal-sized chunks. Cook the pieces of fat slowly in an ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid and then fry the meat in the fat – a few pieces at a time – until well-browned. Add the spicy paste to the last portion of meat and stir-fry for a few minutes. Put all the meat back into the pot, arrange the onion slices on top and pour in the tomatoes and coconut milk. Put on the lid and roast in the oven for 2 hours.

3 Remove the curry from the oven and stir in the coriander; roast uncovered for a further 30 minutes. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and pomegranate rubies. A fresh salsa with extra coriander, tomato and raw red onion is a tasty optional extra.