Chettinad-style veal shin
Chettinad cuisine, from the south of India, is known for cleverly using a wide variety of spices, providing delicious and complex yet comforting dishes. This veal recipe is no different; baked in a heavily spiced sauce of slowly caramelised onions, tomatoes and fresh coconut, the meat is packed with flavour and falling apart by the time it reaches your plate. The onions should take a long time cooking down which gives the dish its silky texture, so don't be tempted to rush this step.
Avi says: 'Chettinad cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines that hails from Tamil Nadu in southern India. This delicious curry is prepared with freshly ground coconut along with a number of spices, all of which come together to make this dish a treat for your senses. We prefer to use veal shin as it is unctuous and comforting in the cold winter months but you can replace it with chicken or lamb if you wish. Serve it with rice or flaky bread for a hearty meal.'
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Veal
- 2 veal shins, cut ossobuco style (ask your butcher), or lamb shanks
- 2 tbsp of coconut oil
- 20g of coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 5 whole dried kashmiri chillies
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 sprig of curry leaf
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 5g of kalpasi, also known as patthar ka phool or stone flower (optional)
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 100g of freshly grated coconut
- sea salt, to taste
Sauce
- 1 tbsp of coconut oil
- 2 large white onions, sliced
- 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 300ml of water
To serve
- toasted coconut flakes
- curry leaves, fried in a little oil
- dried red chillies, fried in a little oil
- cooked rice, and/or flatbreads
Method
Preheat an oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7
Season the veal with sea salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil and sear until golden brown all over, then transfer to a roasting tray
- 2 veal shins, cut ossobuco, or lamb shanks
- sea salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp of coconut oil
Place the whole spices, chillies and curry leaves into a dry frying pan and toast until fragrant, then leave to cool
- 20g of coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 5 whole dried kashmiri chillies
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 sprig of curry leaf
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 5g of kalpasi, also known as patthar ka phool or stone flower (optional)
Heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan and add the shallots and garlic. Sweat down until soft, then add the fresh coconut and continue to cook until golden brown. Transfer to a blender, add the toasted spices and blitz to a coarse paste
- 1 tbsp of coconut oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 100g of freshly grated coconut
For the sauce, add the coconut oil to a large pan and slowly fry the onions and ginger-garlic paste until deeply caramelised. This will take at least 15 minutes
- 1 tbsp of coconut oil
- 2 large white onions, sliced
- 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, chilli powder and turmeric and cook until oil rises to the surface. Add the blitzed spice mix and the water and continue to cook over a low heat for 20 minutes
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 300ml of water
Pour the sauce over the veal, cover the tray tightly with tin foil and place in the oven for 1½ hours. Turn down the heat to 150ºC/gas mark 2 and cook for a further 1½ hours
Transfer the veal to serving dishes (with plenty of the sauce) and garnish with curry leaves, toasted coconut slices and chilli. Serve with rice or breads
- toasted coconut flakes
- curry leaves, fried in a little oil
- dried red chillies, fried in a little oil
- cooked rice, and/or flatbreads
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