Bamiah (Arab Dish)

Ingredients:

600g topside beef, cut into large cubes

Roast in dry pan over low heat:
3 tbsp coriander
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
12 dried chillies

1 tsp white peppercorns
1 piece dried turmeric

Grind to a fine paste:
4-5 cloves garlic
1 piece ginger

salt to taste
5 tbsp oil
2 cups water
1 tbsp tomato paste

For frying:
1 medium sized onion, slice thinly
1 stick (5cm) cinnamon
3 cardamoms
3 cloves

4 tbsp ghee
300g small ladies fingers, cut off top and tail and slash half way from tail end up
300g small tomatoes, cut off top
green peas for garnishing


Method:

• Grind coriander, cumin, fennel, dried chillies and turmeric finely, adding peppercorns last.
• Combine meat in a bowl with ground ingredients, ginger-garlic paste and salt.
• Heat oil, add frying ingredients. When onions are a little brown, add meat and fry until fragrant, then add water combined with tomato paste. Cover and simmer till meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Separately, heat ghee, add ladies fingers and fry for about 8 minutes. When meat is tender and gravy of a thick consistency add ladies fingers together with tomatoes. Stir and remove from heat. Garnish with green peas.