Cooking with Rena Lee

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min

Yield:4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp	vegetable oil
8 oz	shallots, halved
2	garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb	lean rump or sirloin, trimmed and cut into 3/4 in cubes
3 tbsp	curry paste
generous 1 3/4 cups	beef stock
4	medium oranges
2 tsp	cornstarch
	salt and pepper
2 tbsp	chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish
	boiled basmati rice, to serve
	FOR THE RAITA
1/2	cucumber, finely diced
3 tbsp	chopped fresh mint
2/3 cup	lowfat plain yogurt
	salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the shallots, garlic, and beef cubes and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the beef is evenly browned all over.
Blend together the curry paste and stock. Add the mixture to the beef and stir to mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer the beef for about 1 hour.
Grate the rind of 1 orange. Squeeze the juice from the orange and from 1 other. Peel the other 2 oranges, removing the pith. Slice between each segment and remove the flesh.
Blend the cornstarch with the orange juice. At the end of the cooking time, stir the orange rind into the beef, along with the orange and cornstarch mixture.
Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir the orange segments into the curry.
To make the raita, mix the cucumber with the mint, and stir in the yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the curry with rice and the cucumber raita, garnished with the chopped cilantro.