Counter 06 · Stews & Braises
Uzbek-Style Chili-Braised Beef
Beef braised with tomatoes, onions and whole dried chilies in the Central Asian style until it shreds into a thick, spicy red sauce. Great with flatbread and a sharp onion salad.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Across Uzbekistan and its neighbors, meat stews are built on cottonseed oil, onions and plenty of cumin, then braised slowly in a kazan until the meat almost melts. This version leans on sweet paprika and dried red chilies for color and heat. The beef starts in large pieces and is pulled apart with two forks at the end, so it drinks up the sauce. Serve it on a patterned platter with warm non bread, and sprinkle a bit of coarse salt and ground chili over the top.
Method
-
Season the beef with the salt. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat and sear the beef until dark brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove.
-
Lower to medium, add the onions, and cook 12 minutes until soft and caramel colored. Add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook 1 minute.
-
Stir in the paprika, whole chilies and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
-
Add the diced tomatoes, bell pepper, beef and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and cook over low heat for 2 hours, until the meat pulls apart easily.
-
Lift the beef onto a board and shred it with two forks. Meanwhile boil the sauce uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken.
-
Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce, discard the whole chilies if you want less heat, and serve on a wide plate with the green chili on the side.
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