If you’re looking for simple but satisfying Malaysian food, there’s no better place than your local mamak restaurant. Where else can you enjoy soupy Maggi noodles, rice and curries galore, fried chicken, breads, and so much more?
This recipe was created for those who, for whatever reason, are unable to get to your nearby mamak but are craving something authentically Malaysian. This “daging masak hitam berempah” is as good – nay, even better! – than those served up at your favourite corner shop.
The beef is tender and has a perfect balance of flavours – spicy with a touch of sweet and salty. While the ingredient list might seem on the longer side, don’t be intimidated: measure everything out beforehand, use high-quality ingredients, and you’ll end up with a simple and scrumptious meal that will satisfy your hankering for local fare.
Ingredients
- 1kg beef fillet, chopped into pieces
- 4 big onions
- 5cm peeled fresh ginger
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp chilli paste
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp each of white pepper, cumin and fennel
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup thick sweet soy sauce
- 1/4 cup curry leaves
- 3/4 cup cooking oil
- salt to taste
- In a blender, blitz the onion and ginger with 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a medium wok or deep pan. Add the chilli paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the cinnamon stick and stir-fry for another minute.
- Add the onion and ginger mixture, do a quick stir, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the white pepper, cumin, fennel and curry powder. Stir for another minute or until fragrant.
- Add the beef fillet chunks, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and salt to taste, and cook for another minute.
- Now add the sugar and sweet soy sauce. You may also adjust these to taste. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and add the curry leaves. Leave to cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add another 1/2 cup water so the sauce doesn’t dry out.
- Cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, then dish out and serve piping-hot with fragrant steamed rice.
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com, a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of its people, food and places.