INGREDIENTS: (Serves 8 - 10) - Best eaten the day after cooking.

   1.5kg/3lbs gravy/stewing beef
   4 cups coconut cream (2 x large cans)
   120gms/4ozs fine dessicated coconut
   5 small onions - peeled & quartered
   3 cloves garlic - peeled
   20 - 30 dried red chillies or 1 dsp - 1 tbsp chilli powder
   3 stalks lemon grass - finely sliced
   3 fresh turmeric leaves - optional
   6 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves
   5 candlenuts or 8 macadamia nuts
   tamarind pulp (size of a walnut)
   2cm/3/4" fresh ginger or 1 tsp ginger powder
   4 slices fresh galangal or 1 tsp galangal powder
   2 tbsps meat curry powder
   1 tsp granulated blacan (prawn paste)
   1 dsp dark soy sauce
   1 dsp sugar
   2 tsps beef stock powder - (optional)
   1 tsp salt or to taste
   3 tbsps cooking oil

METHOD:

Trim off fat and cut meat into small bite-sized pieces.

Marinate with soy sauce, sugar, beef stock powder and salt.

Remove seeds and soak dry chillies in hot water to soften, drain.

Dry roast/toast dessicated coconut in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Allow to cool.

If you have a dry grinder, grind toasted coconut till very fine, otherwise, blend with one cup of coconut cream, set aside. (Photos 1 & 2 below show sliced lemon grass and toasted dessicated coconut before and after they have been dry-ground.)

Do the same with the sliced lemon grass, otherwise, blend together with the onions, garlic, ginger, galangal, candlenuts, blacan and chillies to a smooth paste.

If using ground/powdered spices, add after blending, together with meat curry powder and lemon grass (if they had been dry-ground).

Add 1/2 cup hot water to tamarind pulp, allow to cool slightly, break the pulp using fingers and squeeze to extract approx 1/2 cup of thick, brown tamarind juice.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and fry blended ingredients until fragrant, stir frequently to prevent burning.

Add marinated meat, coconut cream, dessicated coconut, tamarind juice and kaffir lime leaves, stir well.

If using turmeric leaves, cut each into approx 4 or 5 sections and add to the pan.

Bring to the boil once, stir well, lower heat and allow to simmer (uncovered) until meat is tender (approx 45 mins.), stirring occasioally to prevent burning.

Increase heat to medium, continue to cook (uncovered) for a further 10-15 mins. or until gravy is thick, stirring occasionally.

Serve with plain rice or French bread.