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Homestyle Easy Chinese beef curry recipe that you can cook everything from scratch with beef, onions, carrots, potatoes and simple cupboard-friendly ingredients. No store-bought curry paste or curry block is needed for this recipe. Simply pair it with plain rice for a complete family dinner.
Jump to:
- What is Chinese Curry?
- Why do we love this simple curry:
- About Chinese Curry Sauce
- The Best Beef for this Chinese Curry
- Essential Ingredients
- How to cook Chinese Beef Curry from Scratch
- Expert Tips
- Commonly Asked Questions
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
What is Chinese Curry?
Chinese curry is not a Chinese traditional dish or a classic Indian curry that you’ve tried. It's a Chinese and Indian fusion dish. A fantastic combination of basic Indian spices and a hint of Chinese seasonings.
This Chinese beef curry is mild in flavour compared to Indian Beef Curry but the taste is not bland. The cooking process and the flavour are very similar to Japanese Beef Curry.
If you’ve tried and enjoyed my Japanese Chicken Curry and UK Takeaway Style Chinese Chicken Curry recipes, I’m sure that you’ll love this recipe too!
Why do we love this simple curry:
This Chinese curry beef is best for the days if you are craving a mild beef stew to serve with rice. Easy, comforting, budget-friendly, one-pot meal to serve for a whole family. As this is a mild curry you don’t need to cook extra dishes for the children. The kids will also love it!
It doesn't need loads of ingredients and you might already have all the spices and herbs in your pantry. Easy to make flavour adjustments and can cook from scratch without much hassle.
Why do you need to cook from scratch when you can buy readymade curry paste? When you make your own curry, you can adjust the flavours, spiciness, sweetness, and consistency to your liking.
About Chinese Curry Sauce
Chinese curry sauce base is made of sauteed onions, garlic, and ginger, and seasoned with whole spices, curry powder, soy sauces, and white pepper. The sauce is thickened by adding cornstarch water. Ingredients can be varied according to the family recipes.
Fermented chilli bean paste, fermented black beans, or sweet bean paste can also be used in the curry sauce for the extra umami flavour.
Readymade Chinese curry sauce and powder mix are also available in local supermarkets and Asian groceries in the UK. So if you are interested in using premade curry paste, check out my Chinese Chips with Curry Sauce recipe. I'll share our recipe on how to cook UK Chinese Takeaway style stir-fried beef in curry sauce soon too.
The Best Beef for this Chinese Curry
Beef stew meat like, chuck, round, or shoulder cuts are best because this curry needs to be slow-cooked to allow the flavours to develop. These cuts are lean but cheap and great for cooking a curry and stew-like dish.
I usually use boneless lean beef but feel free to use bone-in beef pieces. You can increase the simmering time if you are using bone-in beef as it takes longer to be tender.
Beef should be cut into small same-size bite-size pieces for evenly cooked through.
Essential Ingredients
Following is a quick guide with photos and please scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed measurements.
- Beef - add your choice of stew beef, boneless or bone-in pieces. I used boneless beef in this recipe.
- Vegetables - carrots and potatoes are classic best for beef stew. You can also add celery, turnips, green peas, or mushrooms.
- Curry powder - If you have Chinese brand curry power you can use it but you can add any of your favourite Japanese or Indian curry powder.
- Whole spices - Bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, and black cardamom are used in this recipe.
- Basic seasonings - light soy, dark soy, sugar, and white pepper.
- Stock cube - Add beef stock, chicken stock, or vegetable stock to bring extra depth and flavour. Make sure to use the stock cube that doesn't contain Italian herbs.
How to cook Chinese Beef Curry from Scratch
- Cut the beef into medium-sized cubes. Season the beef with soy sauce, grated garlic and grated ginger. Mix it well and set it aside.
- Prepare the vegetables by cutting the carrots and potatoes into medium chunks. Cut onions and spring onions into thin slices.
- Heat the large pot to medium heat. Add oil and saute whole spices for a few seconds. Once the spices are sizzled and fragrant add chopped onions.
- Cook the onions soft and translucent. Now add the marinated beef pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the beef is brown.
- Then add tomatoes, curry powder, white pepper, sugar, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Combine the beef, tomatoes, and seasonings well.
- Next, pour the warm water in. Add the beef stock cube and stir everything well.
- Reduce the heat, close the lid, and simmer for 1 hour.
- Then add the carrots and potatoes. ( You can add more warm water if needed. ) Continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the beef and vegetables are soft.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry. Once the curry sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Finish with spring onions.Make a taste test and add soy sauce or salt if needed. Serve over rice or noodles!
Expert Tips
- Choosing the right cookware is important when you are cooking Chinese beef curry. Use a heavy-bottom stockpot, dutch oven, cast iron pot, or thick-bottom stainless steel pot which maintains the heat for a long hour and distributes enough heat.
- Add only warm water in the middle of the cooking process to prevent the beef from being tough and rubbery.
- To make it spicy: Add a teaspoon of crushed chillies, dried chillies, or chilli powder together with the curry powder.
- Consistency: If you find the sauce is watery, open the lid and simmer for a few more minutes to get it thickened. To loosen the sauce, add more water to the desired consistency.
Commonly Asked Questions
How to make beef more tender in curry?
Choose the right beef cut that contains connective tissues that break down during simmering and cut the meat into small bite-size pieces to allow the beef to absorb the flavour. Use the slow-cooking method by cooking over a stovetop or using a slow cooker.
How many calories are in Chinese beef curry?
This beef Chinese curry is approximately 429 kcal per serving, and the nutritional facts do not include rice or bread.
What is the difference between Chinese and Indian curries?
Curries are originally Indian and Chinese and Japanese curries are modified and adapted to their liking. Japanese and Chinese curries are milder in flavour and use a minimum of whole spices and ground spices. The curry sauce is thickened by using cornstarch, potato starch, or plain flour.
Can I add coconut milk to the curry?
If you love Hong Kong-style beef curry, add creamy coconut milk or coconut powder. Adding coconut milk can makes the curry sauce more creamy, rich, and sweet.
More Easy Asian Curry Recipes You Might Like
- Satay Chicken Curry
- Japanese Chicken Curry
- Easy Sausage Curry ( Curried Sausages )
- Curry Udon with Chicken
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📖 Recipe
Homestyle Chinese Beef Curry
Easy homestyle slow-cooked Chinese beef curry recipe that you can cook everything from scratch. Made with beef, onions, carrots, potatoes and simple cupboard-friendly ingredients. No store-bought curry paste or curry block is needed for this recipe. Simply pair it with plain rice for a complete family dinner.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 - 5
Calories: 429kcal
Author: Khin
Equipment
1 Large heavy bottom pot Or cast iron pot / Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 600 gram Beef chuck, flank, leg, or a choice of stew meat, Cut small bite-sized pieces. ( About 1.3 lb )
- 1 Onion Large brown onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes Ripened vine tomatoes, cut wedges
- 1 Carrot Cut medium chunks
- 1 Potato Cut medium chunks
- 2-3 Spring onions Cut thin slices
- 500 ml Water Warm water, About ½ litres ( 2 cups ), add more water if needed
- 3-4 tbsp Cooking oil Sunflower, peanut, canola, etc.
- ½ tsp Cornstarch Mix it with 2 tbsp water
Beef Marinade
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce Regular soy sauce
- 2 tsp Cooking oil Sunflower, canola, vegetable oil, etc.
- 1 tbsp Ginger Finely grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 tbsp Garlic Finely grated garlic or garlic paste
Seasoning spices and sauces
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 2-3 leaves Bay leaves
- 2-3 Star anise
- 2-3 Black cardamom
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce Regular soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Curry powder Add your choice of hot or mild curry powder
- ½ tsp White pepper
- 1 cube Beef stock cube Or chicken or vegetable stock cube
Instructions
First, marinate the beef with soy sauce, grated garlic, and granted ginger. Mix everything well and set it aside.
Heat the large heavy bottom pot or pan to medium heat. Drizzle cooking oil and add cinnamon, bay leaves, black cardamom, and star anise. Saute for a few seconds until fragrant.
Next add the chopped onions and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Add the marinated beef and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once the beef is browned, add tomato wedges, curry powder, white pepper, sugar, regular soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir it well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add warm water and stock cube in. ( Add enough water to cover the beef. ) Stir everything well, reduce the heat to low. Close the lid and simmer for about 1 hour.
Then add the carrots and potatoes. Continue cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables and beef are tender.
Stir in cornstarch and water mixture to thicken the sauce. Make a taste test and add more salt or soy sauce to your preference.
Finish with spring onions. Serve with plain rice or noodles.
Notes
- Simmering time can be varied according to the beef cut and the cookware you use. Cut beef into smaller pieces to lower the cooking time.
- Suggest using a large heavy bottom pot or cast iron pot to slow-cook this beef curry.
- Slow cooker option: You can also cook this dish in slow cooker. Add all ingredients in the slow cooker except water. Cook on low for 6 hours or cook on high for 4 hours. Sprinkle spring onions just before serving.
- Curry powder - I used hot Madras curry powder in this recipe. You can use any of your favourite yellow colour curry powder ( A mix blend of Indian ground spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, fenugreek, etc ).
- Can I use garam masala? Yes, you can use garam masala but you might want an additional 1 tsp of turmeric powder for both colour and flavour as garam masala does not contain turmeric in its powder mixture.
- Meanwhile simmering the beef, stir occasionally and add more warm water if needed. Do not add cold water in the middle of the cooking process as the cold water can stop the cooking process and toughen the meat.
- Do I need salt? Soy sauces and stock cubes contain salt intake. So we don't usually add salt to this curry. You can make a taste test and add salt or sugar to your taste.
- Cornstarch water - is usually added to the Chinese beef curry to thicken the sauce. You can skip the cornstarch water step if you prefer the sauce as it is.
Nutrition
Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 1077mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3171IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 5mg
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