Beef bhuna. Rich sauce, aromatic spices, tender meat, generous sprinkle of gorgeous green herbs - this curry is loaded with flavor and taste that will make you to want to eat it everyday. This homemade version is certainly giving its restaurant counterpart a run for its money. Whip up this delicious curry and bring some spice home.
I’m currently loving the cozy winter vibes, and spending my days gorging on hearty meals, swooning over warm desserts, and exploring the culinary world to bring you the best recipes. At the same time, I’m marveling at the beautiful rich sauce of this dish and debating its origins. Well, bhuna basically means “to fry” and it refers to all the fried spices used to make this beef dish.
In fact, this curry celebrates aromatic spices and the incredible flavor of meat curries. With fall-apart tender meat slow cooked to perfection, this is the best way to cook your restaurant favorite at home. Pair with delicious sides like steamed rice, naan, paratha and papadoms for an Indian inspired meal at home.
Key Ingredients In Beef Bhuna
- Beef - Chuck, gravy, or braising steak for the best curry.
- Spices - Both whole and powdered spices.
- Tomato paste - This makes the curry slightly tangy.
- Herbs - Fresh herbs like coriander (cilantro) leaves and dried herbs like fenugreek leaves.
How To Make Beef Bhuna
Fry beef - Stir fry beef for about 5 minutes to seal in the juices. This will ensure tender soft beef that absorbs all the flavors from the sauces.
Make the curry - Fry whole spices followed by ginger and garlic. Next, fry the powdered spices, and when you get a nice aroma, add the tomato paste followed by beef. Let this cook until tender. Flavor the tender meat with a light sprinkle of garam masala and coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Ingredients
Fry beef:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
- ▢ 1 kg gravy or chuck braising steak cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
Make bhuna:
- ▢ 1 cinnamon stick
- ▢ 4 cloves
- ▢ 4 cardamom pods
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ▢ ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ▢ 2 onions sliced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ 2 green chilies sliced
- ▢ 2 tablespoon yogurt
- ▢ 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ▢ 1 cup water + extra if needed
- ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ Chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- ▢ Rice or paratha to serve
Instructions
Fry beef:
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add beef. Fry for about 3-5 minutes or until all sides are browned.
- Remove from pan. Set aside.
Make bhuna:
- Reduce heat to medium-high and add oil.
- When oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Stir fry for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until onions are slightly browned.
- Add ginger and garlic. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.
- Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, red chili powder and ground black pepper. Sauté, stirring constantly, for a minute or until fragrant.
- Add beef, green chilies and yogurt. Season with salt. Stir to combine.
- Add tomato paste and stir fry for 5 minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup water. Stir to combine. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 40-45 minutes or until tender.
- Add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves. Stir to combine. Heat through.
- Garnish with more coriander (cilantro) leaves if you like.
- Serve with rice, naan or paratha.
Make this in slow cooker:
- After browning chicken, transfer all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover with lid. Cook for about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Make this in instant pot:
- Turn on instant pot. In sauté mode, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Fry beef for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from pot. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Saute cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Sauté onion until browned. Saute ginger and garlic followed by quick stir frying turmeric, coriander, cumin, red chili powder and black pepper. Add fried beef, green chilies, yogurt, tomato paste and water. Stir to combine. Cover with lid. Select manual mode. Set the timer for 20 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Remove lid. Turn on sauce mode. Add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves. Heat through.
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Nutrition
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Check out more beef recipes:
- Indian Beef Curry
- Beef Vindaloo
- Beef Karahi - Restaurant Style
Ingredients
Fry beef:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
- ▢ 1 kg gravy or chuck braising steak cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
Make bhuna:
- ▢ 1 cinnamon stick
- ▢ 4 cloves
- ▢ 4 cardamom pods
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ▢ ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ▢ 2 onions sliced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ 2 green chilies sliced
- ▢ 2 tablespoon yogurt
- ▢ 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ▢ 1 cup water + extra if needed
- ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ Chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- ▢ Rice or paratha to serve
Instructions
Fry beef:
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add beef. Fry for about 3-5 minutes or until all sides are browned.
- Remove from pan. Set aside.
Make bhuna:
- Reduce heat to medium-high and add oil.
- When oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Stir fry for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until onions are slightly browned.
- Add ginger and garlic. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.
- Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, red chili powder and ground black pepper. Sauté, stirring constantly, for a minute or until fragrant.
- Add beef, green chilies and yogurt. Season with salt. Stir to combine.
- Add tomato paste and stir fry for 5 minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup water. Stir to combine. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 40-45 minutes or until tender.
- Add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves. Stir to combine. Heat through.
- Garnish with more coriander (cilantro) leaves if you like.
- Serve with rice, naan or paratha.
Make this in slow cooker:
- After browning chicken, transfer all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover with lid. Cook for about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Make this in instant pot:
- Turn on instant pot. In sauté mode, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Fry beef for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from pot. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Saute cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Sauté onion until browned. Saute ginger and garlic followed by quick stir frying turmeric, coriander, cumin, red chili powder and black pepper. Add fried beef, green chilies, yogurt, tomato paste and water. Stir to combine. Cover with lid. Select manual mode. Set the timer for 20 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Remove lid. Turn on sauce mode. Add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves. Heat through.
