Slow Roasted Beef in a Spicy Aromatic Masala with Coconut bites and Curry leaves… Malayalee’s favorite Nadan Beef Ularthiyathu…!!
Like every Malayalee, this is one of my all-time favorite Kerala delicacies! I prepare it often for friends & family, and have been wanting to write a recipe post. That’s when the news of the beef ban in India started to spread around; with media going crazy on how the Kerala state will survive, facebook posts, videos, trolls, beef fests, and what not… Can’t ask for a better time to publish an authentic beef recipe…!! Ok, so I’m not going to get into the political side of the beef ban, all that I am here is to show my affection to the beef lovers around the world with this mouthwatering recipe from Kerala!!
Kerala, my hometown is quite famous for its natural beauty, greenery, backwaters… and also for its food!! As mentioned in my previous posts, its culinary is known for its vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes alike, but the sea food and beef recipes stand out, both among the natives and the tourists who visit the state. Perhaps, Kerala is among the very few places in India where you can eat beef without any fear or inhibition, in many delicious varieties, and available everywhere, be it a roadside stall or a luxury hotel!!
Unlike the usual curry form, beef is best savored among Malayalees in a fry or roast (ularthiyathu) preparation. The country style beef roast, cooked in iron pans with a lot of curry leaves bring out a unique flavour and aroma which tastes beyond words! The best combination with beef roast is a side of Kerala Porottas; a layered flat bread made with flour. Beef dishes with porotta are very popular among the street foods of Kerala; it is such an exquisite dish that, be it a road side stall or a star hotel, you will find the same love and authenticity given to its preparation. And not to mention, I’ve heard that the Toddy shops serve yummilicious beef dishes that taste from out of this world!!
The highlight of this recipe is the slow cooking of the meat; it is first pressure cooked to tender and then roasted in coconut oil with ginger, garlic and spices. When properly blended and turns aromatic, it is topped with fried curry leaves and browned coconut bites. The recipe is quite similar to the beef curry recipe in its preparation and use of spices, but for the longer roasting time.
Enjoy and Happy Cooking!!!
Interested in a similar recipe from a different cuisine? Check out this amazing Greek Beef Stew with Orzo Pasta (Youvetsi) from The Hungry Bites.
Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!
Slow Roasted Beef in a Spicy Aromatic Masala with Coconut bites and Curry leaves… Malayalee’s favorite Nadan Beef Ularthiyathu…!!
- 2½ lb beef
- 25 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ¼ tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1½ tbsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp pepper powder
- 1 tsp meat masala
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 4-6 sprigs curry leaves
- ¼ cup coconut bites
- a pinch of mustard seeds
- salt (as required)
- oil (as required)
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Clean and cut beef into cube shaped pieces (preferably soup cut).
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Cook the beef in a pressure cooker with salt, pepper powder, meat masala, and a little water just enough to cover the meat. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and then remove the cooker from the flame. Allow it to rest until the pressure goes off. Keep aside.
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Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, sliced shallots, green chilies, and a little salt. Saute until the onions turn translucent.
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Add ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute until the smell resides.
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Add spice powders; chili, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and mix well. Make sure to turn the heat to a low while adding the spice powders, so that it does not burn.
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Remove the lid from the pressure cooker and transfer the cooked beef with the remaining water to the pan, mix well with the masala and cook on a medium flame until the gravy dries out. Stir the gravy occasionally while cooking, to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add salt as needed.
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Meanwhile, heat a little oil in another pan and fry the coconut bites. As it starts to brown, add curry leaves and fry it along with the coconut bites until browned. Keep aside.
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When the gravy dries out, reduce the flame to a low and saute the beef in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Add the fried curry leaves and coconut bites, and mix well together. Scrape the sides of the pan, toss until the meat is brown -black and dried out completely.
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Serve hot with Rice, Porotta, Appam, Naan, or any other bread.
- I have used Top Blade and Top Loin cut beef steak here, cleaned and cut into small cubes (or soup cut). You can also use Chuck Roast for this recipe.
- The garam masala used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi garam masala) and meat masala used is MDH meat masala. You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable. If meat masala is unavailable, you can substitute it with equivalent amount of garam masala.
- Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
Great post and great recipe! Kerala must be a unique place with great food, I wish someday I’ll be able to visit!
Yes Makos, Kerala is one of the famous tourist destinations in India, and I would be glad to assist you with your tour plans if any 🙂
It’s an amazing place, and the food was out of this world. I was lucky enough to visit once (along with Bangalore and Agra).
Kerala porotta and beef ularthiyathu, best combination!! lovely clicks Akhila!
Exactly…that’s a wonderful combination..Thank You Nasreen for your comments !!
wonderful
Thank You !!
Akhila in your recipe Syrian beef dry dish you mentioned 1 tsp meat masala What are the ingredients for meat masala.
You can buy readymade meat masala from stores or for homemade version, please check this site.
https://malayali.me/veg-recipes/home-made-chickenmeat-masala-powder
Thank you.. it came out awesomely well..I used chuck roast beef fyi..
Thank You Ajith for posting your feedback. So happy you enjoyed it. And thanks for letting me know about beef portion, I will definitely update Chuck Roast in my Notes.
I tried cooking for the first time… Followed all steps.. Only mistake I did was added more water… So used as beef curry… Any way it tasted awesome… Thanks for the recipe… Next time hope to do justice.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try!
Chuck is the best cut of beef. Period. No question about it.
Tried this today, turned out superb, just like what you get at marriages and restaurants! Hubby and kids loved it! Thank you.
Thank You so much Mary for trying out my recipe and posting your feedback. So glad you guys enjoyed 🙂 !!!
Hi Akhila,
Beef is my favorite. Tried out this recipe and it turned out good. Question : 1)Did you really mean 25 pieces of shallot for this recipe ? 2) What other options do you recommend if it is not prepared in a pressure cooker?
Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Thank You Simon for trying it out and stopping by to comment.
1. Yes, I meant to use 25 shallots as they add way more flavor than onions. But you can also substitute it with onions.
2. I used a pressure cooker to quickly tendarize the meat but you may also slow cook it in any regualr heavy bottomed pan/slow cooker, just that it would take way longer to reach that consistency.
Thank you very much Akhila.
The beef turned out excellent and I had a hearty meal. Nothing beats Beef Ularthiyathu for me.
Best regards !
Awesome…Happy to know that Simon..Enjoy 🙂
Any idea how long it would take to cook in an instant pot instead of the pressure cooker?
Hi Tisha, I haven’t tried this recipe in an instant pot. But do check out the comments below where Sharon and Catherine tried this recipe using IP and they shared detailed instructions and it turned out great for them.
Yum yum
Dear Akhila , can you actually cook and show how to make your beef ularthiyathu , it can make a huge difference in my way of cooking .
Regards
Thank you…. It was my first time cooking beef. It turned out awesome… 😊😊😊
Thank You so much for trying out my recipe and posting your feedback :-). Glad you enjoyed it, Gayathri !!!
My husband is from kottayam. He came across this and wanted me to cook it. Came out really amazing. Great job. He wants it every day now. Thanks
Yaay, that is so amazing, Thank You So Much for trying out my recipe.
I am so happy that you guys enjoyed !!
Loved this recipe!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank You Jewel, glad you liked it:-)
This is the best recipe I have used! My whole family loved it! I usually never get any recipes online right but this is was on point! Thanks so much!!
Thank You so much Liz…! Glad you guys loved it, you made my day 🙂
Super taste
Thanks for giving us a wonderful recipe
Thank You Bhoomika…so happy that you liked it 🙂
Wow, it looks very delicious, i gonna try this. So Akhila please can you mention your,. Tsp, Tbsp and Cup measurements in Grams.
Thank You Sree Vivin! I follow standard food recipe measuring units, but if you need it in grams there are lot many online measurement convertors, here is an example.
Akhila what is the ingredients for meat masala
Thank you Akhila. Really appreciate the recipe and your effort. I have to say, the photography skills are top-notch. Can you please include which cut of Beef you have bought like Rib, Loin or Shanks. I have never bought beef in the US. So, I would like to know which cut is good for this recipe. Thank you so much.
Hi Bhavya, I have already detailed the cuts used under the Notes section of the recipe. Thank You and let me know if you have any further questions.
Hi Akhila..I loved your beef ularthiyathu…can you give a recipe for Pork Ularthiyathu…
Thank You Mitchel…I will try to upload pork recipe soon!!
Hi Akila,
I tried the recipe for first time and it was very nice and yummm…
Is was easy method to prepare and came out really well.
Thank for the recipe!!!!
Awesome, Thank You so much Sangeetha 🙂
I am in so much love with this recipe and haven’t tried any other recipe in the past two years☺️
Thats a huge compliment..Thank you so much Karthika <3 🙂
The best!
Thank You Arun!
Good one!
Looks like someone stole your recipe
http://cookingwithshay.co/kerala-beef-ularthiyathu-dry-beef-roast/
Cheers
Josh
Hi Josh,
Thank You so much for identifying my recipe and taking the time to write to me. You are right, thats my recipe they copied. Piracy is always a concern, and now I need to chase them to have it removed.
Heard great things about this recipe. Any advice on how to modify for the instant pot? Primarily the pressure cook time?
Thank You Jaya, unfortunately I haven’t tried this recipe for Instant Pot, and so would not be able to suggest at the moment. Will keep you posted when I do.
I am a Bengali but went to Kerala on a trip and fell in love with Kerala style beef fry. I have followed your recipe and the dish has turned out exactly the same each time. Now I can just eyeball the measurements. Thank you for sharing.
Thank You so much Saranee for the wonderful feedback. I am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
I haven’t made this in a long time. I’ll try shallots instead of onions. I avoid the green chilies and chili powder as I don’t like it spicy. But I use coriander powder and manjal (turmeric powder) and ground cloves, cinnamon bark, star anise and somph (fennel seed) and of course lots of coconut and curry leaves. Also I use a regular pot instead of pressure cooker. I guess the trick is to let it slow roast after the water evaporates. I don’t cook often but this is one dish I make better than my wife so she lets me do it. I forwarded this to my British friend and he loved the pics. He says it looks scrumptious. You take good pictures.
Sounds like a great spice mix!! Thank You Ron, so glad to know that you guys loved my pics 🙂
Yay, I finally made it! And it turned out pretty good, goes really well with kerala parotta. I used chuck roast. Cutting up 25 shallots seemed too much trouble so I cheated and used onions. I used all the usual spices like haldi (or manjal or whatever) but instead of the garam masala and meat masala I made my own spice mix from scratch. Neither my wife nor I ever used a pressure cooker (but my mom does) so when you say “2 whistles” we’re totally clueless! I use a regular aluminum vessel and it takes an hour and half (one hour to boil + half hour to saute over low heat) and maybe an hour to cut up everything. One other change I made was using coconut oil instead of olive oil but really there didn’t seem much difference in taste. We never used coconut oil because we were led to believe it’s bad for cholesterol but now the latest science says that’s all bunkum and coconut oil is actually good for you. Your website is quite an inspiration, keep up the good work. I live in Atlanta but am so glad Kerala is free from all the beef politics.
Thank You Ron, so glad you liked this recipe 🙂
Yes, you can use onions instead of small onions and using a pressure cooker helps to speed up the process, but you can always use regular vessel for cooking.
Hi Akhila,
Regarding the meat masala, you have mentioned that it can be substituted with equivalent amount of garam masala. Since the recipe already has ½ tsp of garam masala, if i substitute the meat masala with the same, would 1½ tsp of garam masala be too much?
Thanks
Nope, that won’t be a problem. You can substitute with 1 1/2 tsp garam masala for the same.
Thank you so much! This is the first time I tried cooking beef and this tasted amazing – I couldn’t believe I had made it. I think this must be the tastiest dish I’ve made so far 🙂
Yaay..so glad you made it. Thank You so much Niv for trying out my recipe and posting your feedback. Cheers to many more beef dishes 🙂
Any clue on how many minutes if I use my instant pot?
I’m sorry, I haven’t tried this in an instant pot.
This was delicious. The only change I would make is to cut down the amount of pepper, as it was too peppery and spicy for my kids. I also didn’t add the green chiles. I pressure cooked the beef in my instant pot at 2 minutes high pressure and did a natural release or quick release after 10 minutes. Then I followed your directions (step #3 and onwards) for the stove top. It was SO SO good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank You Sharon for sharing this information of IP with us. I am so glad it turned out good by following my recipe 🙂
Tasy and yummy….
Thank You Maria 🙂
Lobe the recipe, turned out to be super tasty.
Thank you so much Zohaeb 🙂
Awesome recipe…
Is that for 2.5 kg of beef
Thank You Chethu…2.5 lb is approx 1.1 kg.
Where did u get the meat cuts from… in india ??
I don’t think you can find any pre-cut beef in Inida but you can ask butcher to cut the meat for curry style (which is called soup cut).
Hello Akhila
I googled beef ulathiyathu and found your post. As a foodie and a fellow Malayali, I can understand the anxiety, you would have faced, 2 years back, when then food habits were getting rejigged in the country.
Your recipe is simple. You have written in a lucid way and I’m tempted to go into the kitchen and try this myself. I liked the way you kept the post crisp and sharp.
The post and the beef exude so much positivity!
Keep writing.
Dr. Shyam Kalyan N
http://www.WorldENTCare.com
Thank You so much Dr.Shyam for this wonderful feedback. I am so happy that you tried my recipe, You made my day 🙂
Made it for my 50th birthday for my family. Came out exceptionally good! It was so good, I only got very little since my family went to town on it. ha!
Thanks a lot for the post, Akhila
Belated birthday wishes to you and I am so happy that you chose my recipe for your big day Biju. Glad you all enjoyed 🙂
Can I use dark horse meat masala? Or any brand which u recommend. Thank you.
Hey Maria, I am assuming you are referring to Double Horse brand. Yes, any brand like Double Horse, Nirapara, Priya anything will work for this recipe!!
This recipe was so extremely good!
I didnt let it dry completely but the spices were spot on!
I ate it with roti. It was super yummy
Thank you so much .
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank You Isa for trying it out 🙂
This is my fourth time, every time it comes so well, amazing taste and perfect recipe in terms of proportions.
So happy to hear this Azim. Thank you for trying out my recipe and for posting your feedback 🙂
I hv made beef recipes for over 15 years now. But this is simple and perfect. Nothing less nothing more. I’m sure shallots would hv bn way better than onions. Yet I tried with onions as 25 shallots seemed like a lot of work..it came out so so delicious..like it couldn’t b better!
A rare instance of contentment and pride! Tried th same method in chicken n pork…magical!
All Thanks to you..you are the magician!
That’s AWESOME. So glad you enjoyed this recipe Joe 🙂 Thanks a lot for trying it out and ofcourse for posting this wonderful feedback. You made my day!
I know you don’t have the instructions for an instant pot, but just to get an idea, approximately how long do you wait for 2 whistles when you make it? Also, do you have a lot of water left in the pot when you open the lid (more than you started with)?
The time for 2 whistles vary upon the cooker size and flame, for me on a medium flame it takes 10-15 mins. I usually have the same amount of water left (maybe a little less) and beef would have shrunken.
My husband nearly wept with joy eating this 😀
The recipe seems as if it calls for excessive pepper, but at the end, it’s all a beautiful medley of spices. Thank you!
So glad that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Thank You Aarthi for trying it out!
Hello! Reading the recipe, I’m not sure what a “coconut bite” is. Is it fresh coconut?
Hi Autumn, thinly sliced fresh coconut (as shown in the pics) is what is referred to as coconut bites here.
Brilliant! I tried this today and it came out really well. I didn’t even add coconut(because I was lazy :)) and it was still awesome!!! Great recipe! Will be trying more of your recipes soon!
Thank You Sheena for trying out my recipe and taking the time to post your feedback 🙂
This is my favorite Kerala dish and I’m so happy I finally know how to make it for my malayalee husband 🙂 It came out so tasty! I made some modifications so that I could cook it in my instant pot. I used stew beef and mixed it in with the meat masala, pepper powder… and then sauteed it in my instant pot for 10 minutes until browned. I added a little bit of water and then pressure cooked on high pressure for 35 minutes in the instant pot. In the meantime, I fried the onion mixture and coconut mixture on the stovetop. When the pressure cooking was complete, I did a quick release of the pressure and then sauteed for 20 minutes on high until most of the liquid was cooked off. I then added the onion mixture and sauteed for another 20 minutes on high until the beef was dry. Finally, I added the coconut and reduced the heat to low and sauteed for another 10 minutes until the beef darkened. I garnished with red onion rings and lime slices. Perfection!
Woah..Thank You so much Catherine for sharing this detailed Instant Pot version. I am so glad that it turned out well for you 🙂
This is the best Kerala beef recipe I have made and my husband and even my 2 year old loves it..and it is their new favourite… it is so easy and well explain that even an amateur like me could make it so tasty. Thank you so much for this perfect recipe.
Can you please make kerala style beef chilli fry recipe. Looking forward to making more recipes from your blog….
Thats AWESOME!! Thank you so much Shruti for the wonderful feedback, I am so happy that you guys loved my recipe.
Will surely upload Beef chili fry recipe soon!!!
I tried this recipe out and it came out beautifully. Though, I didn’t have ginger and MDH masalas.
Ill give it a 5 star rating. Yummy !!
Thank You so much 🙂
With COVID providing plenty of time, I started cooking at home ! I couldn’t even make my own tea before that. In the last 8 months, I have tried atleast 250 different recipes including Beef Ularthiyathe from other sites. I and my family would vouch that this is THE best for the same !!
That’s a huge compliment! Thank You Ajith for stopping by and dropping your feedback.
Tried this for the first time and came out really well. Thanks a lot for the recipe. Enjoyed cooking it and obviously having it with Kerala parotta..
Oh yes, nothing can beat the combination with Kerala Porotta. Thank You Sreejith, glad that you liked it!
In place of 25 shallots (not available here) , how many medium brown onions shall I use for this recipe?
Hi Jaype, You can substitute small onions with 2 medium sized onions (thinly siced) for this recipe.
JazaakAllaahu khayr, sister Akhila.
SubhaanAllaah… Delicious… Aromatic…
Thank You so much Sumayya for the wonderful feedback 🙂
What are coconut bites?
Sliced coconut pieces (thengakothu)
Love your recipes. Accompanying pictures are tastefully displayed. This dish was a hit tonight. Thank you!!
Thank You so much Kavitha for the wonderful feedback 🙂
Absolutely delicious, super yummy! Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe.
Thank You Jonah, glad you liked it!
Don’t usually leave comments on recipes (not a good trait) but I have made this recipe so many times I had to rate it 5 (would have given more if possible). Did alter the recipe in different ways for what I am having it with but the basic recipe is amazing.
Thank you Sana for sharing this great review, I am so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Very delicious recipe
Thank You Adhithi 🙂
Hi Akhila. This is the first time I am commenting on an online recipe. Thank you a million times dear Akhila! You are a real sweetheart for sharing this wonderful recipe with us! And your pics here are lovely 🤗😘
Today I cooked your Beef Ularthiyathu ahead of time for our supper tonight.
I confess I did go light with the ground pepper & chili powder (I reduced those for us less-hot, non-Kerala folks, lol).
But I did add everything else as your recipe stated.
Akhila, if I could rate 100 stars for your recipe and your cooking style/method, I truly would!
Strangely none of our local Indian spice stores or Tamilian friends of mine, here in South Africa, knew what South Indian meat masala/ garam masala is when I requested about that. After some googling I knew I had to try to make some.
Honestly, wow! there is NO substitute for South Indian meat masala/ garam masala! I quickly learned the lovely aroma AND flavourful, sweet taste of that wonderful masala is out-of-this-world too good, for sure!
While waiting for the gravy to dry, a sneaky taste test proved this beef roast result is very delicious! 😁❤❤❤
Many thanks again Akhila! You are a cooking kaniakumarie! God bless you 💐🙏🤗
I wish my husband and I could travel to explore beautiful South India, but then covid hit the entire world and sadly the world suddenly changed for many people.
For now I’m so thankful for the blessings of each day we live, and for loved ones, for good friends & good neighbours.
AND I’m so thankful for a delightful journey of lovely South Indian movies [eg. Ustad Hotel, Android Kunjappan, Kumbalangi Nights, the brilliant KGF 1 & 2 (btw, Yash-kanna really rocks!😍), also films starring Mammootty Sir are very good too, etc].
AND your delicious food is excellent, Akhila! ❤
Plz forgive me for any mistake I made with South Indian language terms. I speak only fluent English & Urdu.
Looking forward to supper tonight😉💃
Thank you and happy cooking love to everyone here! ❤🙂
(Oops, sorry about the long post)
Thank You Anisa for the detailed wonderful feedback. You made my day!
Really appreciate your love towards South India, do try out other recipes from my blog, I’m sure your gonna love them!
Fantastic recipe. Made this more than a couple of times now. The pepper IS a tiny bit excessive. For those who can’t stand that much spice you can probably reduce by half a tbsp, though the pepper really is the star of all the spices in this recipe (IMHO, anyway). I usually pair it with parotta, and a tiny squeeze of green lime over the hot beef.
Thank You for trying out my recipe Jess 🙂
Ahkilla –
Can you give an approximate amount of shallots in weight? Shallots in SW Washington state are very large, about the size of a mandarin so I am really confused about how much.
Also, what type of green Chile? I would guess Serrano but I’m not sure. Would jalapeños work?
Seems like they wouldn’t be hot enough. Can’t wait to make this.
Hi Temple,
It is hard to say the weight of shallots but you can use 2 medium sized onion instead of shallots .
I have used Indian spicy green chilies, Serrano peppers also works fine but not jalapenos.
Hi, what kind of beef cuts do you use in these recipes? I went to Costco the other day and was spoilt for choice. Any suggestions?
Hi,
You can use Top Blade and Top Loin cut, Chuck Roast or Stew Cut (which is easier) for this recipe.
That’s helpful. Thank you!
Very delicious recipe
Thank You Dinesh 🙂
Very superb delicious 😋
Thank You Selva 🙂
This looks fabulous and I can’t wait to try it! What is the ratio of garlic to ginger in the garlic ginger paste?
Dear Akhila,
Greetings from the Philippines! I am going to try this recipe but since it is for a party I want to cook it a day or two in advance to avoid a rush on the last day. Do you know if this will keep well in the ref and taste as good if it is made 2 days in advance?
Janet