Healthy Slow Cooked Beef Madras - Slimming World Friendly

Here is my healthy, quick and easy take on a beef madras which can be made either in a slow cooker, on the hob or in the oven. I've used lean diced beef bulked out with mushrooms and spinach. The mushrooms absorb all the delicious flavours of the spices and the beef when they're slow cooked together so you won't feel like you're missing out.

This is not a traditional authentic recipe for beef madras - it's a quick and easy version you can throw together at home, and forget about it for a few hours while it cooks. I would definitely make this beef madras the day before you want to eat it, as leaving it for a day really enhances the flavours. It's also perfect for batch cooking and freezing.

This healthy beef madras is free on Slimming World if you use fry light (low calorie cooking spray) instead of oil and serve with fat-free natural yoghurt. It makes a nice little 'fake away' on a Friday night with some rice and dal.

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Healthy Slow Cooked Beef Madras - Slimming World Friendly

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 3-6 hours
• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp sunflower oil or fry light (see notes)
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander 
• 6 green cardamon pods
• 1 thumbsized piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
• 2 red chillies with seeds, finely chopped
• 400g lean diced casserole / stewing beef, all visible fat removed
• 300g closed cup mushrooms, quartered
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• Hot water from the kettle
• Salt to taste
• 100g fresh spinach 

To serve:

• basmati rice
• fresh coriander leaves
• plain natural yoghurt

Method:

1. In a large pan with a lid or casserole dish, heat the oil and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes until soft over a medium heat.
2. Add all the ground spices to the pan and fry for another minute, until fragrant, stirring frequently.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, cardamom pods and chillies and cook for another minute. You may need to add a splash more oil to the pan if it starts to stick.
4. Add the beef to the pan. Cook until brown all over, stirring frequently. 
5. Add the mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes to soften them.
6. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and garam masala. Add enough hot water to submerge all the ingredients.
7. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat down to a gentle simmer. Give everything a really good stir and season to taste with salt.
8. Pop the lid on the pan and simmer on the hob for around 3 hours until the beef is falling apart. Alternatively, pop it in a low oven, gas 3 / 140 fan / 160 C, or, cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 hours.
9. When cooked, add the spinach to the hot curry a handful at a time. Stir it through, allowing one handful to wilt in before adding the next.
10. Serve with basmati rice, fresh coriander and a dollop of cooling natural yoghurt if you like. For best results eat the day after cooking. Re-heat until piping hot in a microwave on on the hob. You may need to add a splash of water if reheating on the hob.