Chinese Beef Curry With Coconut Milk

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Hong Kong Curry Beef Brisket 港式咖哩牛腩 is an extremely popular dish in most Hong Kong Cafés and Cantonese rice, noodle and congee restaurants.  Chinese people traditionally consume very little beef.  This is due to the influence of Buddhism for thousands of years.  In addition, China, having a long agrarian history has always been appreciative of the hard-working cows.  So how did the Curry Beef Brisket get so popular in Hong Kong?  It started in 1841 when the British colonized Hong Kong.  India was already a British colony at the time.  When the British set up shop in Hong Kong, they also brought over Indian workers to work in law enforcement.  Consequently, the Indians brought the curry spices, the British brought the beef and the rest is history!

As time passed, beef became more utilized and the curry spices were redesigned to suit the Cantonese palette.  Namely, the curry is mild, the sauce is thick and there's always coconut milk.  There are probably a million ways of making Hong Kong Curry Beef Brisket 港式咖哩牛腩.  And everyone has their own twist on how they like it.  A slight difference in technique or spices can become a signature of a restaurant.

My recipe uses Malaysian style curry.  The method I prefer to use is the double braising method.  I first braise the brisket using some aromatics and Chu Hou Sauce 柱侯醬. This sauce is a fermented soy paste common in Cantonese cooking, especially when making brisket.   Then I use some of the liquids from the first braising and braise it a second time with curry powder, more spices and coconut cream. This method gives the brisket an underlying flavour from the Chu Hou Sauce. I think the combination is brilliant, it definitely stands out, making it a true Hong Kong style curry.

Try my Hong Kong Curry Beef Brisket 港式咖哩牛腩 and let me show you how you can make this tender brisket with layers of yummy flavours!

Looking for more Hong Kong classics? Check out my Hong Kong cafe recipe section!

Hong Kong Curry Beef Brisket 港式咖哩牛腩

I use a curry powder that I purchased in Hong Kong. Hong Kong curry is more similar to Malaysian curry than any other type and so a Malaysian curry powder will help you achieve Hong Kong style curry

I used beef finger meat, which is the meat between the bones of the rib, in this dish. I find that this cut of meat has really good texture for braising. In Chinese butchery, we consider this cut also part of the brisket.

You can also use the regular brisket. I find that a part of it is quite tough even after braising and so I don't often use it. Simmering boneless short rib is also a good option.

I have chosen to deep-fry my potatoes before brasing so that it can keep its shape better. If you choose not to deep-fry, cut your potatoes larger in anticipation of approx. 30-50% of it will melt into the sauce.

Approximate cost (CAD) $25

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Braising Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese, Chinese

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 1455 kcal

• 1 kg Beef finger meat
• 650 g Potatoes , cut into desired size
• 1 large Onion , cut in wedges
• 1 small Onion for first braising, cut in wedges
• 5 cloves Garlic , chopped
• 4 slices Ginger
• 8 Bay leaves
• 2 Star anise
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp Curry powder
• 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Chu Hou sauce
• 1 L Water
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 500 ml Oil for deep-frying potatoes (optional)
• 125 ml Coconut cream or coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

• Cut the beef into approx. 4-5 cm (1 ½") pieces

  

• Prepare potatoes, onions, ginger and garlic

• Fill a large pot with water that can cover the beef, add beef and bring to a boil. Boil until meat is cooked. Will take approx. 3 minutes after the water starts to boil adding the beef while the water is cold will help remove the impurities from the beef and still keep it tender after braising

  

• Strain the beef and rinse with cold water. Discard the water in the pot

  

• Heat a wok or or braising pot at medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil

• Add ginger and the cut small onion. Fry until browned and aromatic

  

• Add 1 tbsp Chu Hou sauce and 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, mix well

• Add beef and stir-fry for 2 minutes and mix well

  

• Add 4 bay leaves, 1 star anise and cinnamon stick

  

• Add water until the water covers the beef, approx. 1 L

  

• Turn heat to high and bring it to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover with lid and let it braise for 1 hour. Stir after 30 minutes into braising

  

• Heat oil to fry potatoes. Fry until golden and set aside The temperature of my oil was at 325˚F

  

• After 1 hour, strain the beef, keep the braising liquid. Set both aside. Cinnamon stick, bay leaves and onions can be discarded.

• Heat wok or braising pot on medium-high. Add 2 tbsp oil. Add the cut large onion. Stir-fry until aromatic

  

• Add chopped garlic, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp curry powder and 1 tbsp turmeric. Stir-fry for 1 minute

  

• Add beef into the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute

  

• Add the remaining bay leaves and star anise

  

• Add the braising liquid saved. Add until the liquid almost covers the beef. If you want more sauce, you can add more of the liquid. Bring to a boil and then turn to low heat and braise for 30 minutes. If you did not deep-fry the potatoes, add them now. If your potatoes have been deep-fried, add them in 30 minutes

• After 30 minutes, add deep-fried potatoes, mix well and braise for another 30 minutes. If you already added the potatoes, just give it a good stir

  

• After 30 minutes, add 125 ml coconut cream and 2 tbsp evaporated milk, mix, bring to a simmer and taste test. Make adjustments, if any. If you find the sauce to thin, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water) which you add in small quantities until you reach your desired thickness

  

• Serve

Calories: 1455 kcal Carbohydrates: 44 g Protein: 33 g Fat: 128 g Saturated Fat: 23 g Trans Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 120 mg Sodium: 856 mg Potassium: 1066 mg Fiber: 5 g Sugar: 19 g Vitamin A: 46 IU Vitamin C: 26 mg Calcium: 96 mg Iron: 6 mg

Keyword Bay Leaves, Beef, Beef Brisket, Curry, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Hong Kong, Potatoes, Turmeric

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