There are few Bangladeshis who are not acquainted with the fame of Chui-Jhal Beef from Khulna and Shatkora Beef from Sylhet.
Chui is basically the stem of Piper Chaba or piper chilli which is used as a spice in meat curry. Shatkora, on the other hand, is a citrus fruit with a knobbly texture and limy flavour. It is also used as a flavouring agent in a variety of vegetables, curries and meat, including pulses.
The best part is, these ingredients are not a hassle, rather can work as a game-changer in your regular meat recipes if you know how to apply them.
Shatkora Beef
Ingredients:
- Beef 1kg
- Chopped onion 1 cup
- Bay leaf 3-4 piece
- Garam masala powder 1 tsp
- Ginger-Garlic paste 2 tbsp
- Salt 2 tsp (or as needed)
- Turmeric powder 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder 2 tsp
- Cumin paste 1 tsp
- Grinded roasted cumin 1.5 tsp
- Mustard oil 2-3 tbsp
- Shatkora 3-4 small pieces (only peel, excluding the lemon-like inner portion)
Recipe:
- Step 1: Mix everything in a bowl except the Shaatkora and roasted cumin portion and set for 1 hour.
- Step 2: Put it in a pressure cooker pot and cook in medium flame until the meat leaves water and dries up. Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Step 3: Add 1 cup water and Shaatkora and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Wait for 2 whistles.
- Step 4: Add the roasted cumin and close the lid again turning off the heat.
- Step 5: Transfer to the serving dish.
Chuijhaal Beef
Ingredients:
- Beef 1kg
- Ginger-Garlic paste 2 tbsp
- Chopped onion 1 cup
- Bay leaf 3-4 piece
- Garam masala powder 1 tsp
- Salt 2 tsp (or as needed)
- Turmeric powder 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder 4 tsp (Traditional Chuijhal requires a lot of spices. You can set this according to your taste bud.)
- Cumin paste 1 tsp
- Grinded roasted cumin 1.5 tsp
- Mustard oil 2-3 tbsp
- Whole garlic 6-7 piece
- Chui Stem.
Recipe:
- Step 1: Soak Chui stem in the water a few hours before, to soften and facilitate cutting. Wash it nicely and cut it into thin pieces.
- Step 2: Mix everything including the Chui in a bowl except the roasted cumin portion and set for 1 hour.
- Step 3: Put it in a pressure cooker pot and cook in medium flame until the meat leaves water and dries up. Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Step 4: Add 1 cup water and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Wait for 2 whistles.
- Step 5: Add the roasted cumin and close the lid again turning off the heat.
- Step 6: Transfer to the serving dish.
