Cooking Pot Roast

People think of the Midwest as a monolith of meat and potatoes, and there was ample evidence of that when I was growing up in rural Illinois. Plenty of kids I knew sat down to a cadence of meatloaf, Sloppy Joe's, Salisbury steak. Repeat. My mom served at least one meat dish a night because my Dad couldn't bear a meal without Spicy Fried Beef, Chicken Stew, or some other carnivorous option. Every once in a while, she would rotate in a pot roast flavored with the holy trinity: cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. To this day, it is my favorite beef dish.

When I started cooking for myself, I learned that braising beef includes a simple two-part process. The first involves searing meat to produce a full-flavored, outer crust. Then the meat is slow cooked in the oven or on the stove until it (or other tough cuts of meat) become ooh-la-la tender. All that's needed to pull it off is a heavy pot with a snugly fitted lid and a large pair of tongs.

How to Braise Beef

With a paper towel, pat the meat dry on all sides.
Season it with salt and pepper or your favorite spice rub.



Coat the bottom of a heavy pot with a thin layer of oil and place it over medium-high heat.

Using tongs, lower the meat into the pot.

Sear the bottom side. Rotate the meat and repeat until all sides are browned.

Remove meat from the pot and place it on a plate.



Add aromatics and spices to the pot. Here, I’m using onions, garlic, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.  Cook until the onions start to soften.

Add a liquid (such as water, wine, stock, or a combination) and stir to scrap off any bits of meat or onion sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Place the meat back into the pot.

Cover it with a tight-fitting lid. Continue to cook on the stove top or place in a low oven (about 300 degrees) until the meat becomes tender. Store leftover braised beef in its braising liquid to prevent the meat from drying out.

This article was originally published on WholeFoodsMarketCooking.com 

Kerala Beef Puffs

When we were young, my parents used their mother tongue as a code language to discuss private matters. My ears always perked up when they switched from English to Malayalam, lowered their voices, and glanced in my direction. Eager to crack the code, I listened closely and picked out words I knew from their sing-song sentences. More often than not, my caveman understanding of the language led me nowhere. 

Over time, my parents spoke more and more Malay-English, making it easier for me to translate their tête-à-têtes. Unless it was British English. That just added a layer of confusion.

Who knew that to the Brits, gas is petrol, trucks are lories, cookies are biscuits, cafeterias are mess halls, pants are trousers, scarves are mufflers, purses are hang bags, shades are blinds, grades are marks, stewardesses are air hostesses, lawyers are solicitors, and apartments are flats?  And morons? Well, they're bloody fools!  

Forced to decipher what seemed like gibberish, I would eventually tune out to my parent's relief. 

KERALA BEEF PUFFS

In Kerala, puffs are turnovers made with a variety of fillings. My favorite version has spiced beef tucked inside. The flaky pies are wonderful as appetizers or served with a side salad.

Makes 20 to 22 

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
2 teaspoons coriander
2½ tablespoons oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
½ teaspoon salt
1 small potato, boiled and finely cubed
2 teaspoons minced ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons water
½ pound lean ground beef
14-ounce package puff pastry, defrosted
1 large egg, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend the cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, and coriander in a spice grinder until finely powdered.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium low. Add the onions and salt. Cook until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. 

Add the ground spices, potatoes, ginger, garlic powder, cayenne, turmeric, and water. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the beef and mix until thoroughly combined. Continue until beef is fully cooked, about 8 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly flour a cutting board and rolling pin. Lay one sheet of puff pastry on the board. Roll it into a large square. 

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry dough into twelve squares.   

Layer a teaspoon of beef filling in the center of each piece of dough. 

Using your index finger, spread a thin layer of beaten egg along the edges of the dough. 

Fold each piece of dough to form a triangle. Press the edges with with a fork to seal in the filling. 

Place the filled dough on two cookie sheet covered in parchment. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. 

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Looking for adventure?
Join us for a Culinary Tour of Devon Avenue.

Over Memorial Day, my partner Chris and I traveled west to attend my cousin Mithu’s wedding. The ceremony took place at the Fort Mason Center, which overlooks the San Francisco Bay. After the couple said their “I dos,” we stood in the sun, sipping Cochin Gin and Tonics flavored with a pinch of cardamom. Waiters wooed us with pan-fried plantains and melt-in-your-mouth ceviche. The hors d'oeuvres were followed by platters of perfectly seasoned tacos. Drunk with happiness (and booze), we embraced day five of our royal treatment.

As guests, we had been treated like royalty the moment we landed in California. My Uncle Mathew and Aunt Anu insisted on providing us with curb side pickup at the airport. They fed us scratch cooked meals three times a day (which included dosa and sambar, appam with egg roast, and barbequed tandoori chicken with potatoes). In between, we snacked on homemade beef cutlets and samosas from Trader Joe’s. In the evenings, my Uncle cracked open several bottles of wine to wash it all down.

Over the course of our stay, neither of us lifted a finger or spent a dime. It reminded me of trips to India where hospitality means everything.

BEEF CUTLETS

Thanks to its Christian population, Kerala is one of two states in India that allows for the consumption of beef. In our family, Beef Cutlets are a staple at family reunions and large celebrations. Preparing them is a multi-stepped process. But don’t worry. I’m sure you (and your guests) will find that it’s worth every bite.

Makes 30

INGREDIENTS

2 medium Idaho or Russet potatoes
2 pounds 90% lean angus beef
2 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks
16 cardamom pods
16 cloves
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
20 black peppercorns
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil plus 2 cups for frying
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 small serrano pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Cool. Peel and mash.

Place the beef, cinnamon sticks, 12 cardamom pods, 12 cloves, and water in a medium sized saute pan. Cook on medium low heat for about 20 minutes or until the beef is thoroughly cooked. Transfer the beef to a colander to drain the fat. (This helps to ensure that the beef patties will hold together.)

Blend the remaining cardamom pods, cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns in a spice grinder until they form a fine powder.

Heat the oil in a medium sized saute pan on medium low heat. Add the ground spices and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions, serrano pepper, ginger, and salt. Cook until the onions turn translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the cooked beef to the onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the potatoes and mash all of the ingredients together to fully incorporate the potatoes.

Shaped the mixture into 30 2-inch patties and place them on cookie sheets.

Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat together. Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl.

One by one, coat each patty with eggs and then bread crumbs. Before transferring a patty to the bread crumbs, hold it above the bowl of beaten eggs to allow any excess to drain off. When the bread crumbs become clumpy (which will happen after you’ve dipped enough patties), add a few more tablespoons of bread crumbs to refresh bowl. Also, your fingers will become breaded at some point. Rub off the coating over the garbage or sink periodically.

 

Layer two cookie sheets with paper towels.

Heat 2 cups of oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Place a pinch of the bread crumb egg batter in the pan. When it rises to the top and bubbles, the oil is ready to use.

Carefully lower 4 patties into the oil. Flip immediately with a slotted spoon (otherwise the breading will crack). Cook until teddy bear brown.

Place on the cookie sheets to cool.

To reheat cutlets: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not microwave cutlets as the breading becomes soggy.

Spicy Fried Beef

In the 4th century, the Syrian merchant Thomas of Canaan is said to have arrived in the port city of Cranganore, Kerala. His ship held 400 passengers, including clergy from the Syrian Christian church. The locals were used to welcoming foreigners from Greece, China, and other far off lands due to Kerala’s central role in the spice trade. Both the Hindu rulers of the Chera dynasty and the Christian community that had been established in the first century by Saint Thomas the Apostle greeted them with warmth. Overtime, the descendants of these voyagers became known as Knanaya Christians. 

Fast forward to present day and you’ll find white washed steeples projecting into the skyline across Kerala to accommodate the state’s diverse Christian community. In the early morning and late afternoon, throngs of children teem about in Catholic school uniforms. Brightly-colored lorries hog the road, in what appears to be a game of chicken, and proclaim “Jesus is King” above their dashboards or honor a patron Saint. On long journeys, travelers can stop to pray at grottoes dotting the countryside dedicated to Hindu Gods or to Mother Mary.  

My family is part of Kerala’s Knanaya Christian community. During family trips to India, I always received numerous wooden rosaries and (itchy) wool scapulars from my paternal grandma, who spent time as a Novitiate (more on that later), and great Aunts, Sister Sophia and Sister Loretta. In their later years, Sister Sophia and Sister Loretta gave alms to the church in the hopes of improving my marriage prospects. (If only it had worked!)

During family vacations, my aunts served us many Syrian Christian specialties including chicken stew, sauteed pork, and roast mutton. 

We also ate our share of beef, and like my dad, I had a sweet spot for Amachi’s Spicy Fried Beef. It calls for stewing cubed beef with a mix of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and other spices, and sauteing the cook meat with shallots. When I sit down to a plate of steaming parboiled rice and her beef recipe, I am transported back to Kerala.

SPICY FRIED BEEF

Serves 6

My father always wanted a meat dish on the table, and this zesty beef preparation was a family staple. The coconut slices take on an addictive jerky-like texture after being stewed with the beef. That being said, both the coconut and curry leaves are optional, thanks to the hearty flavors of the other spices. So don’t fret if you don’t have them on hand. (I didn’t at the time of this post!) Serve Spicy Fried Beef with steaming hot rice and plain yogurt or flatbread. 

INGREDIENTS

10 black peppercorns
6 cloves
6 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 pounds stewing beef, rinsed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 (1-inch) cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sliced coconut (optional)
Dash of ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 small dried red chilies
Pinch of fenugreek seeds
10 to 15 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1  cup finely diced onions
2 tablespoons minced ginger
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons canola oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend the peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds.

Place the beef, cinnamon sticks, coconut, turmeric, salt, dried red chilies, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, ½ cup of the onions, ginger, water, and ground spices in a large saucepan over high heat. (For extra heat, tear the dried red chilies apart before you add them.) Stir. 

Bring to a boil. 

Lower the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. If there is ¼ cup or more of liquid left after 40 minutes, remove the beef with a slotted spoon. 

Raise the heat to high and cook until there is just enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat. 

Put the beef back into the pan and stir to coat it with the liquid.

Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the remaining onions. 

Cook until they become translucent. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until the moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes.