Sylheti Shatkora Beef Curry

Ingredients

• •Beef
• •Shatkora citron
• •Onion
• •Garlic
• •Ginger
• •Turmeric
• •Whole spices
• •Mustard oil

Steps

1. 1Cut bone-in beef into large chunks and marinate it briefly with turmeric, salt, and a little ginger-garlic paste while preparing the other ingredients.
2. 2Heat mustard oil in a heavy pot until it just begins to smoke, then temper it with whole spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaf until they release their aroma.
3. 3Add thinly sliced onions and cook them slowly until deeply browned, since this long caramelization builds the base of the curry's flavor.
4. 4Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook briefly before adding the marinated beef, browning the pieces on all sides over high heat.
5. 5Add ground coriander, cumin, chili powder, and a little water, then cover and let the beef simmer slowly until it becomes tender, topping up water as needed.
6. 6Meanwhile, prepare the shatkora, a large bitter-sour citron unique to the Sylhet region, by scraping and lightly cooking the pith and rind to soften its intense bitterness.
7. 7Fold the prepared shatkora into the curry during the last stage of cooking so its citrusy, slightly bitter fragrance infuses the gravy without dominating it.
8. 8Simmer everything together a little longer until the oil separates at the surface, then serve hot with steamed rice.