This delightful beef korma is perfect for curry beginners. It's not spicy, featuring mild flavors that suit everyone's palate. The dish contains tender beef in a creamy sauce, with a perfect balance of spices and a combination of vegetables that brings the dish together. It's easy to make and guaranteed to impress, whether you're cooking for family, friends, or just yourself.
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What Is Korma?
Korma or qorma is a Hindi-Urdu word that means "braise," referring to the cooking technique of this dish. Korma is a type of stew that can be made with vegetables, lamb, beef, chicken, mutton, or eggs. Originating from the Indian subcontinent, it has become popular in Southeast Asian countries and the UK.
The dish korma traditionally involves braising vegetables or meat in yogurt to create a thick and creamy sauce. However, in different countries, the recipe is often adapted to use coconut milk instead. Korma has a milder flavor profile compared to curry and is not spicy. It features more subtle flavors, mainly coming from coriander, fennel, and cumin.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This is a Malaysian beef kurma that my husband, Marco, absolutely loves! When I was a kid, my late mother often made egg korma for our family since we didn't have much. The incredible flavors of korma have always stayed with me, which is why it's one of our favorite dishes!
Mild flavor tone—This beef korma curry has a milder flavor than the typical curry, with main flavors coming from coriander, fennel, and cumin. It's creamy and not spicy, making it a popular dish for kids, family gatherings, and Malay weddings, where everyone can enjoy it without any issues. We always have it with our Asian cucumber salad. It's a perfect introduction to the world of curry for beginners like my easy lentil curry!
Easy—Although it's a variation of curry and stew, this beef korma curry recipe is straightforward and easy, like my quick 30-minute chicken massaman curry. I love to make a big batch and then freeze it in smaller portions to make it even easier! Our slow cooker Spanish oxtail stew (rabo de toro) is another delicious recipe you should try!
Versatile—You can easily adapt this beef korma recipe for lamb, chicken, or vegetables! The cooking time will vary, but the result will be amazing!
Ingredients For This Recipe
Beef—Beef chuck or stewing beef is perfect for this beef korma curry and my amazing authentic beef rendang, or my slow cooker beef rendang. However, this recipe also works with chicken. We recommend using bone-in chicken thighs for maximum flavor, although boneless works great, too.
Korma powder—I'm using ready-made korma powder for this recipe to make it simpler, as it's easy to find in stores. You don't need to buy different spices and then not know what to do with the leftovers. However, I've written my own korma spice blend recipe that works amazingly below!
Oil—I use coconut oil for an extra flavor kick; ghee or any other oil works just as well.
Coconut milk—Feel free to use either full-fat or light coconut milk, as both work equally well for this beef korma curry or my quick 30-minute lentil curry.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Korma Spice Blend
As I mentioned earlier, I'm using a store-bought korma spice blend, which is easy to find, to make this beef korma recipe simpler. However, if that's not the case for you or you'd rather make it yourself, here's my recipe with the perfect amount to use for this beef korma curry.
- Dry toast: Add 3 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ½ tablespoon cumin seeds, 4 cloves, 1 star anise, 6 cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks (break into smaller pieces), 4 macadamia nuts, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon white peppercorn, and 2 bay leaves (shred into smaller pieces) into a pan and toast on medium heat for 5 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
- Blend: Add all the spices into a grinder and grind into a fine mixture. Sift if necessary. It's ready to be used to make beef korma!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the base paste. Blend red onion, ginger, and garlic cloves into a smooth paste. Set aside.
Step 2: Sautee the aromatics. Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add in cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and red onion. Cook until the onion turns deep golden brown.
Step 3: Cook the base. Add the base paste, korma spice blend, cubed tomatoes, beef bouillon, and ¾ cup water. Stir and cook until the mixture thickens and the oil separates.
Step 4: Add the meat. Add the beef, ensuring each piece is well-coated with the base mixture. Cook until the beef turns opaque and releases liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from getting burnt.
Step 5: Cook the meat. Add about 1 cup of water, or enough to almost cover the meat. Mix thoroughly, bring to a boil, then simmer with the lid on for 40-60 minutes until the meat is tender. Stir now and then, and add more water if everything looks dry and the meat still needs more cooking.
Step 6: Add in the potatoes. Add coconut milk, sugar, black pepper, and potatoes. Mix well and cook covered for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Step 7: Add chilies and onion. Add the chilies and onions, mix well, and continue cooking uncovered for about 2 minutes or until the onions soften slightly.
Step 8: Add tomato. Add the tomato, then turn off the heat. Mix well and serve the beef korma with rice and a side of salad!
Recipe Expert Tips
If you're going to make this Beef Korma recipe, make sure to follow these top tips!
- Cook the base mixture until the oil separates. This Southeast Asian cooking method is commonly used to cook base mixtures or to slow-cook using coconut milk. This step is complete when traces of oil can be seen separating on the surface of the cooking dish.
- Add water as needed to cook the meat. The cooking time will vary depending on the cut of meat, so you may need to add water as necessary to cook the meat until it's tender.
- Make the sauce thick or thin to your liking. We love a creamy, thick sauce! If you prefer a thinner sauce, add water to adjust the consistency. Always adjust the seasonings as needed.
How To Store And Freeze
Store—This beef korma can last up to 5 days in an air-tight container, in the fridge.
Freeze—Place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you want to enjoy this beef korma, thaw it in the fridge and reheat it slowly on the stove or in the microwave. However, I highly advise not freezing the potatoes because their texture is not as appetizing when thawed.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! In fact, the traditional korma uses yogurt and is being adapted to coconut milk in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
This Malaysian beef kurma is typically served with butter rice, and cucumber and pineapple salad. The mild rice absorbs the rich flavors from the kurma, while the salad provides a refreshing balance.
Korma is a savory stew that's mild in flavor compared to a curry. The mild flavor profile mainly comes from coriander, fennel, and cumin. It's not spicy, and the only heat it has comes from black pepper.
Did you try this Beef Korma?
Please leave us ★★★★★ ratings and feedback below in the comment section. We'd love to know how it went, what you liked, or if there's anything we can improve. Share and tag us on Instagram; we'd like to see your creation.
Thank you! -Bea and Marco
Watch How To Make It
📖 Recipe
Beef Korma
Ingredients
Base Paste
- 1 red onion , cut into chunks
- 2 inch ginger , cut into chunks
- 6 garlic cloves
Aromatics
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 6 cloves
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 red onion , thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes , cubed
- ⅔ cup (60 g) korma spice blend , refer to notes below for homemade blend
Main
- 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck or stewing beef , cut into 1x2 inches pieces
- 14 oz (400 g) canned coconut milk
- 2 (350 g) potatoes , cut into 4 or 6
- ½ tablespoon cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar , or any sugar
- 2 green and red chilies each , sliced lenghtway from the bottom until almost to the top
- 2 red onion cut into 6 chunks each
Instructions
Base Paste
- Blend red onion, ginger, and garlic cloves into a smooth paste. Set aside.
Cook
- Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add in the aromatics; cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and red onion. Cook until the onion turns deep golden brown.
- Add the base paste, korma spice blend, cubed tomatoes, beef bouillon, and ¾ cup water. Stir and cook for more or less 5 minutes until the mixture thickens and the oil separates.
- Add the beef, ensuring each piece is well-coated with the base mixture. Cook until the beef turns opaque and releases liquid. Stir occasionally to avoid the bottom from getting burnt.
- Add about 1 cup of water, or enough to almost cover the meat. Mix thoroughly, bring to a boil, then simmer with the lid on for 40-60 minutes until the meat is tender. Stir now and then, and add more water if everything looks dry and the meat still needs more cooking.
- Add coconut milk, sugar, black pepper, and potatoes. Mix well and cook covered for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Add the chilies and onions, mix well, and continue cooking uncovered for about 2 minutes or until the onions soften slightly. Add the tomato, then turn off the heat. Mix well and serve the beef korma with rice and a side of salad!
Notes
- Cook the base mixture until the oil separates. This Southeast Asian cooking method is commonly used to cook base mixtures or to slow-cook using coconut milk. This step is complete when traces of oil can be seen separating on the surface of the cooking dish.
- Add water as needed to cook the meat. The cooking time will vary depending on the cut of meat, so you may need to add water as necessary to cook the meat until it's tender.
- Make the sauce thick or thin to your liking. We love a creamy, thick sauce! If you prefer a thinner sauce, add water to adjust the consistency. Always adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Recipe for homemade korma spice blend.
- Dry toast: Add 3 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ½ tablespoon cumin seeds, 4 cloves, 1 star anise, 6 cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks (break into smaller pieces), 4 macadamia nuts, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon white peppercorn, and 2 bay leaves (shred into smaller pieces) into a pan and toast on medium heat for 5 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
- Blend: Add all the spices into a grinder and grind into a fine mixture. Sift if necessary. It's ready to be used to make beef korma!
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts provided are an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Fatima says
Hi
I don’t see the ingredients for the korma blend in the notes ?
Bea & Marco says
Hi, Fatima! I've put the recipe in the post where it says "How to make korma spice blend", but I've added it to the recipe notes also now, so it's even easier to see. Hope it helps!
Fatima says
That’s right, it was in the recipe post, I didn’t see it.Thank you very much your recipes are always a hit and you are always helpful.
Bea & Marco says
You're welcome, Fatima!
Bea & Marco says
I love making this recipe for my family! They love the flavor and it has the right spice level for everybody 🙂