Koorka Irachi Curry/Chinese Potato and Beef Curry

Today's recipe is a Naadan beef curry that is commonly made in Kerala. This Kerala delicacy is everything that you love- filling and heartwarming with the deep essence of homey Kerala village-style cooking. It is a luscious curry, with succulent and tender meat and soft-cooked vegetable. Koorka/ Chinese potato is one of my favorite vegetables and it tastes delicious with meat especially beef.

Koorka is a seasonal root vegetable, locally available during the winter months. It is moist and grainy when compared to potatoes and can hold its shape. It has a distinct aromatic flavor, meaty, mildly sweet, and earthy and it complements the flavor of beef and warm aromatic spices. It is a healthy vegetable and is a rich source of iron, vitamins, and calcium. This recipe is inspired by my sister's college hostel memories. She used to talk about delicious ethakka/plantain beef and koorka beef curry that they had from the college canteen. Since koorka is my favorite vegetable, I was tempted to try this recipe. This is a simple and delicious curry and is a perfect side dish for steamed rice. It also tastes good with chapathi.

Koorka and beef curry is an old comfort food recipe, simple and straight forward and you will never go wrong with this. There is also liberal use of pearl onions and garlic, coconut oil, and curry leaves. It is heartwarming curry, and worth a try. If you are not a fan of koorka, try adding raw plantains or potatoes.

To clean the Kooraka
Koorka/Chinese potatoes are round, dark brown, or blackish skin. It needs some time and patience for cleaning. To clean the koorka/Chinese potato easiest way is to put them in a cloth bag or a sack and gently hit them a few times on a hard surface or the floor. It sounds weird but, you will notice that the skin will get separated in this process. If there is any excess left, scrape off with a knife. Wash thoroughly and then cut into small pieces. You can also peel Chinese potatoes using a peeler. But be careful when you handle this vegetable. Try wearing gloves to avoid blackening and staining your fingers.

Koorka Irachi Curry/Chinese Potato and Beef Curry

Ingredients
Beef - 3/4 Kg
Koorka/Chinese potato- 1/2 kg
Tomato -2
Shallots- 1 cup
Chopped onions-1 medium
Chopped ginger-1 tbs
Chopped garlic- 6-7 pods
Vinegar- 1 tsp
Chilly powder-2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Meat masala- 1 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Coconut oil- 3-4 tsp

Clean the koorka/Chinese potato as suggested above and set it aside. Clean and wash beef and cut into small pieces. Marinate with ginger garlic paste, vinegar, pepper powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Set aside for half an hour.
Cook marinated beef, sliced onion, and koorka in a pressure cooker. Add half a cup of water and cook in medium flame till three whistles, reduce the flame, and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes and switch off the flame. Allow it to cool down a bit.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add chopped shallots and curry leaves, and saute till golden brown. Add chopped tomato and saute till it turns soft and mushy. Add chilly powder, coriander powder, meat masala, and garam masala and mix. Now add in the cooked meat and koorka and a half cup of hot water. Simmer for another 7-8 minutes in low flame or till the gravy thickens