January 2nd, 2011
Coconut Lime Beef Stew, Recipe, Easy, Beef Stew with a Twist
It does not matter if it is during the summer, fall, winter or spring, but the moment it rains, I start thinking about soups.
Today was the perfect example on how the weather might dictate what I would like to have for dinner.
I cut recipes from magazine, newspapers, local books; if it catches my eye, I will clip it. And the moment I prepare a dish, I consider that recipe mine, especially if I change it here or there.
When I saw that some of the ingredients in the stew were ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric and coconut; without even trying the recipe I thought it could be one of those recipes I might want to keep and pass on.
I use a lot of these ingredients on average but since I am passing the recipe along I decided to go on www.wikipedia.org and read about them so that I could tell you more about their origins.
What I found out about some of them really surprised me and this stew might be healthier than I thought.
Cumin – Native East Mediterranean to East India. It is used in many different cultures. It is a member of the parsley family.
During the Middle Ages it was believed that cumin kept chickens and lovers from wandering; a happy life awaited the bride and groom if they carried cumin seeds throughout the wedding ceremony.
Coriander – Native to Southern Europe, North Africa and Southwestern Asia. It contains antioxidans. It has been used for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in some countries.
In India, the seeds are used as a diuretic when boiled with cumin seeds. It is also used as a digestive aid.
Coriander has been documented as a traditional treatment for diabetics. Apparently, its extract has insulin releasing and insulin-like activity.
It also lowers the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. And, the juice mixed with turmeric powder or mint juice is also used to treat acne; applied to the face like a toner.
Some people have allergic reactions to coriander, though.
Turmeric was to me the most interesting one. It is a native of tropical South Asia. It has become a key ingredient in many Indian, Persian, Thai, and Malay dishes.
It is also a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders.
It is usually used in the dry form but just like ginger it can be used fresh. It is also used as a replacement for Saffron, being that it is not as expensive.
It is used as an anticeptic for cuts, burns, and bruises. And, the most interesting one is that turmeric is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, arthritis, and other clinical disorders.
Coconut milk and water have been in the news for some time now; so many health benefits are attributed to its consumption.
Coconut Lime Beef Stew
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 gloves of garlic, minced (if you want more, well you know what you can do)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1 3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
2 3/4 lbs. of beef chuck, cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon of lime zest or more
2 cans of unsweetened coconut milk
4 tablespoons of lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
2 bay leaves
1 pound baby carrots, cut in bite size pieces
Just remember that this stew is a little different so if you are having guests for dinner and they think you will be serving them a traditional stew, well they are going to be a bit surprised.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons in a large pot on medium heat. Make sure you have a lid that fits this pot since you will be putting the lid on later on.
Add the onion and saute until it begins to color.
Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, probably this will take a minute or so. Transfer this mixture to a bowl.
Return pot to the stove and increase the heat to medium high and add 3/4 tablespoons of oil to the pot and put 1/2 of the meat in it and cook until browned on all sides. Take that meat out and put aside and cook the rest of the meat in another 3/4 tablespoons of oil until, again, the meat is browned on all sides.
Now return the cooked beef to the one that is already in the pot and also add the onion mixture. Mix and then add the coconut milk, lime zest, lime, juice, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. of sea salt, bay leaves, and baby carrots.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring it from time to time.
You can serve this stew over rice, either brown or white. But I did not do it that way. I just served it as a stew and garnished it with extra lime zest.
It will serve 6 people but if you serve it with rice then it will probably serve 8.
Note: It was really good. The coconut and lime and those spices really gave it a tropical touch. This stew could easily be doubled to feed a crowd. Just add a salad and some crusty bread.
Enjoy and make it your own…..just like I did….talk to you later
Tags: Bethany Beach, Coconut Lime Beef Stew, Delaware Beaches, Delray Beach, Dewey Beach, Easy Recipe, Fenwick Island, Florida, gluten free recipe, Milton, Ocean City, Palm Beach County, Puerto Rico, Recipe, Recipes, rehoboth beach, South Bethany, South Florida
