Beef dal curry (Dalca daging)

Like many fusion dishes you find in Malaysia, Malaysian-style dalca is a good example of Indian and Malay cooking styles coming together. Packed with flavour, this dalca is a great accompaniment to Roti, Dal rice and Tomato rice.

Dalca daging (Beef dal curry) Credit: Georgia Gold

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
• 5 red shallots, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 3 cardamom pods
• 5 cloves
• 2 curry leaf sprigs, leaves picked
• 2 tbsp Malaysian chilli paste (recipe below)
• 400 g beef (oyster blade or topside), finely sliced
• 3 potatoes, quartered
• 1 carrot, sliced diagonally
• 400 ml tin coconut cream
• 95 g (½ cup) yellow lentils, soaked and boiled until soft
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• salt

Sambal Belacan (Malaysian chili paste)

Makes about 150 ml 

• 5 long red chillies
• 5 bird's eye chillies
• 1 tbsp toasted belacan (shrimp paste; see note)
• 1 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• juice of ½ lime

Curry paste

• 2 large red onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2.5 cm piece ginger
• 3 roasted candlenuts (see note) (optional)
• 2.5 cm piece galangal (optional)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp Malaysian curry powder (for meat and chicken)

Instructions

1. To make the Malaysian chilli paste, using a mortar and pestle, pound all the chillies to make a coarse paste (see note if using a blender). Add the belacan, sugar and salt and pound for another minute. Add the lime juice and mix well. This can be stored in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
2. To make the curry paste, place the onion, garlic, ginger, candlenuts and galangal, if using, in a blender or food processor, add the oil and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the curry powder. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves and curry leaves and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion and garlic are lightly golden. Add the chilli paste and stir-fry for another minute.
4. Add the curry paste and stir until aromatic and the oil has separated. Add the beef and toss for 30 seconds, then pour in 500 ml (2 cups) water and add the potato and carrot. Cook, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes or until the potato and carrot are soft. Add the coconut cream, lentils, tomato and tamarind paste. Season to taste with sugar and salt, then give everything a good stir and let it cook for another 5–10 minutes until bubbling. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with roti and rice of your choice.

Note

• If you are using a small chopper or blender, add all the ingredients except the lime juice and blend to a smooth paste. Then stir in the lime juice.

• Belacan – also known as fermented shrimp paste – is a staple in Peranakan and Malay cuisine. Belacan is made from krill (tiny shrimp-like crustaceans) that have been salted, dried and fermented, which yield its deep salty-umami taste. Raw belacan should be toasted in a dry frying pan before using for best results.

• Candlenuts are large round nuts that closely resemble macadamias in appearance and texture, candlenuts are a key ingredient in Malaysian cooking, where they are regularly used as a thickener and a flavour and texture enhancer in sauce-based dishes like curry, rendang and sambal. Candlenuts should never be eaten raw as they are mildly toxic, so cook them for at least 15 minutes at 120°C or above to help reduce their toxic effect and bitterness.

Penang Local by Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $39.99). Photography by Georgia Gold. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.