The smell and taste of my mom's recipe for classic beef stew is one that has been with me since I was a small child. Although she was a working mom, on her shorter days or days off she would often begin making it early in the morning and put it in the crock pot to cook all day long so it would be ready by the time I arrived home from school. I still remember all of the ingredients by heart and how they looked on the kitchen counter as she prepared it. I also remember being in a bit of awe as to how it would all fit so neatly into her round crock pot with the glass cover that eventually began to steam underneath.
Later in the day she made white rice on the side, which indicated that it was almost time to eat since that was the last thing to do before getting ready to serve what, to me, was the ultimate comfort: knowing exactly what to expect in this meal and feeling cared for, loved and comforted through every bite.
Start out with high quality halal beef cubes. Ask your butcher for stew meat and to cut it into medium-size pieces. That way, if they're a little larger than you like, you can always cut them a little smaller. If they start out too small, the meat could end up tough.
This recipe was originally posted on My Halal Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew cubes, dredged in flour
- olive oil or grape seed oil for sautéeing
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 cups potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- bay leaves, crushed (optional)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Dredge beef cubes in flour and set aside.
- Heat oil in cast iron pan or Dutch oven.
- Sauté beef cubes and flour in the oil to brown on each side. Remove meat and place on a paper towel-lined plate or dish to absorb excess oil.
- Add a little more oil to the pot and sauté the carrots and potatoes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to make sure the remaining flour from the meat is incorporated into the stew, allowing it to become thick. Add the onions and garlic.
- Add broth to just below the level of the meat and potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil for several minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and cover, cooking for about 5-6 hours or until the meat is so tender it can be cut with a spoon. If using a crock pot, transfer the dish after it has boiled and been reduced to a simmer.
- Add frozen peas about 20 minutes before serving and stir in thoroughly.
- Remove from heat and serve on top of your favorite sticky rice.
This recipe was originally posted on My Halal Kitchen.
