This recipe is fantastic in winter when you are camping in the bush and you have all day to build a fantastic fire. By 5 o’clock in the afternoon the coals are just perfect to start this very easy beef curry. You can also use lamb but we prefer beef.
We tend to dice our meat at home and cry vac it ourselves with our cry vac machine (very worthwhile purchase for camping), however most butchers can also do this if you ask them.
Before you leave on your holiday you can also mix all the spices and keep them in an air tight container and for ease we use the bought ginger and garlic in the tubes from the supermarket.
Before you start the cooking process you need to dig a large enough hole to fit the dutch oven in. Then you need to cover the base of the hole with the coals from your fire, enough to generate enough heat to cook a curry, then place the empty oven in the hole with the lid on and then cover the lid with coals so that the oven heats up. Leave it in the hole for about 20-30 mins to gain some heat.
You are now ready to cook!!
Carefully take the lid off the oven making sure not to let any of the ash from the coals fall into it, place the oil in it and let it heat up, this will depend on how hot the oven has got. Add the diced onions and fry for 2 minutes or until soft before adding the garlic and ginger and the spice mix and yoghurt. Stir until combined being careful not to let it stick to the bottom of the oven. Then add the tomatoes and salt, simmer for 5 minutes then add the beef stirring to coat well.
Place the lid back on carefully and put back on the coals. At this point you may like to replenish your coals. Leave for about 30 mins and then check again stirring as you go. Continue checking 30 minute intervals. Depending on your coals and the outside temperature the cooking time may vary. I like to leave it for a couple of hours to thicken up and for the meat to fall apart. Add the fresh coriander before serving.
The best thing about this curry is that any left overs can remain in the oven lid on overnight ready to be heated again the next night.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
3 tsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp crushed/grated ginger
1 cup greek style yoghurt
2 cans whole tomatoes
1kg diced beef or lamb
Fresh coriander
2 long red chillies sliced (optional)
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 tsp chilli powder
1 Tbls ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cardomon
½ tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt