Slow-Simmered Spicy Beef Curry with Chutney & Coconut

There’s a reason this spicy beef curry has earned a permanent spot in dinner rotations — it’s rich, fragrant, and coaxes tender, fall-apart beef from a handful of pantry staples. Slow simmered until the meat practically melts, then finished with a classic trio of sliced banana, chutney, and toasted coconut, this is comfort food with a little flair. Even picky eaters come back for seconds.

Some recipes earn their “family favorite” status the hard way — by surviving picky palates and repeat requests. This spicy beef curry is one of them. Chunks of beef simmer low and slow with warming curry spices, fresh ginger, and jalapeño until impossibly tender, then get served the traditional way: over rice, with sweet banana, tangy chutney, and shredded coconut on the side.

Ingredients:

• 1kg beef chuck or steak, cubed
• 2 onions, chopped
• ½ cup curry powder (mix of hot + your choice)
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 cups beef broth
• 750g Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced jalapeño
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• Salt to taste
• To serve: rice, sliced banana, chutney, shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. Simmer beef + onion + 1 cup water, covered, 30 min.
2. Uncover, high heat, stir until dry and browned, 5–7 min. Remove beef.
3. Toast curry powder, mustard seed, garlic, turmeric, 1 min.
4. Add broth, tomatoes, jalapeño, ginger.
5. Return beef. Cover, simmer 2–2½ hrs (or pressure cook 30 min) until tender.
6. Serve over rice with banana, chutney, coconut.

Delicious Spicy Beef Curry Recipe (Easy & Family-Friendly)

Irene Muller

A slow-braised curry of tender beef, warming spice, and a classic sweet-tangy finish

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

For the Curry

• 1kg beef chuck or steak, trimmed and cut into 3cm chunks
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• ¼ cup hot curry powder + curry spice blend of choice, to make ½ cup total
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cups beef broth, fat-skimmed
• 750g Roma tomatoes cored and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh (or pickled) jalapeños minced
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger minced
• salt to taste

To Serve

• steamed rice
• 2 bananas thinly sliced
• ½ cup mango chutney
• ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

 

For the Curry

• Sear the base. Pat the beef dry. In a heavy saucepan, combine beef, onion, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
  
• Concentrate the flavour. Uncover, raise heat to high, and cook — stirring often — until the liquid evaporates and the beef and onions turn lightly golden, 5–7 minutes. Lift the meat out and set aside.
• Bloom the spices. In the same pan, add the curry powder, mustard seeds, garlic, and turmeric. Toast for about a minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
• Build and braise. Pour in the broth, then add the tomatoes, jalapeños, and ginger, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan. Return the beef, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 2–2½ hours (or 30 minutes in a pressure cooker) until the beef is fork-tender. Season with salt to taste.

To Serve

• Plate with tradition. Spoon the curry over steamed rice and top each bowl with sliced banana, a spoonful of chutney, and a scatter of shredded coconut.
  

The secret to the best spicy beef curry? Low, slow simmering and a spice blend that's bold without overwhelming — even picky eaters come back for seconds.

"Tender, spicy beef curry slow-simmered with bold spices and finished with banana & chutney. An easy family dinner recipe everyone loves."

Keyword Beef, Curry, Jalapeños, Spices, Tomatoes