Curried Beef Stew

Name: Curried Beef Stew
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian Dinners, Asian Recipes, Asian Soups
Ingredients: 3/4 pound beef stew meat (1 to 1-1/2-inch pieces); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 large onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons curry powder; 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce; 2 bay leaves; 3 cups beef stock; 1-1/2 pounds potatoes (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 large carrots, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; Hot cooked brown rice, optional

My mother, who was Japanese, made a dish very similar to this. After a lot of experimenting, I came up with a version that is very close to the one she used to make. This beef curry stew recipe is special to me because it brings back memories of my mother. —Gloria Gowins, Dalton, Ohio

Ingredients

3/4 pound beef stew meat (1 to 1-1/2-inch pieces)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 bay leaves
3 cups beef stock
1-1/2 pounds potatoes (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Hot cooked brown rice, optional

Directions

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; toss with flour. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook beef and onion until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in curry powder, soy sauce, bay leaves and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 45 minutes.
Stir in potatoes and carrots; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until meat and vegetables are tender, 1 to 1-1/4 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves; stir in vinegar. If desired, serve with rice.

Test Kitchen Tips

Freeze soups, stews and chili for future lunches in handy single-serving bags. Line a measuring cup with a resealable plastic freezer bag to hold the bag upright and steady, then fill with stew. Freeze the bags flat, then stack them for efficient storage.

For the ultimate flavor, use fresh produce when it’s in season. In spring, that means asparagus, peas, artichokes and fennel. In summer, eggplant, arugula, summer squash and tomatoes shine. Fall’s finest? Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and carrots, to name a few.

Here are classic stew recipes just like Grandma used to make.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 362 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated fat), 53mg cholesterol, 691mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 7g fiber), 24g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat.