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A navy blue cooking pan with a white interior is filled with a freshly cooked beef pasanda curry.

Beef Pasanday Recipe

Nosheen Babar
This Beef Pasanda Recipe (Pakistani) is prepared with beef tenderloin filets that are tenderized, marinated, and then cooked as a dry curry.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
marinate 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Servings 8 servings
Calories 646 kcal

Ingredients
  

Pasanda Masala (For 2 lb Meat)

  • 1 teaspoon peppercorn
  • 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 tsp green cardamom
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 10 dried red chilies
  • 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)

Marinade (For 2 lb Meat)

  • 1 cup plain full fat yogurt
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice (1 large lemon)
  • 2 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste
  • Pasanda Masala per recipe above

Pasanday

  • 2 lb beef tenderloin strips (see notes)
  • pasanda marinade per recipe above
  • 1 cup oil
  • 2 onions
  • 2 cup water

Garnish (For 2 lb Meat)

  • ½ inch piece ginger
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 4 serrano chillies

Instructions
 

Pasanda Masala

  • Dry roast all the whole spices for a few minutes, just till you can smell a nutty aroma. Be careful not to over roast them or else the curry will have a burnt taste.
  • Cool slightly and grind to a powder using a spice grinder.
  • Add in all the powdered spices, mix well, and set aside.

Marinade

  • Beat the yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger and pasanda masala to prepare the marinade.

Pasanday

  • The beef tenderloin should be cut into very thin strips, about 2 x 4 inches long and ⅛ inch thick. (see notes)
  • Using a mallet pound the beef to help tenderize it (see notes)
  • Marinate it overnight using the prepared marinade. (see notes)
  • The next morning, remove the meat strips from the marinade (reserving the marinade for later), heat about ½ cup of the oil, and lightly brown the meat on both sides.
  • Dice the two onions and saute in the remaining ½ cup oil until well browned.
  • Remove them from the oil (reserving the oil), add to the marinade, and grind to a paste.
  • Add this puree to ¼ cup of the reserved oil along with 2 cups of water and add the fried strips of meat.
  • Cover and bring this mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Cook for 30 minutes, and then check to see if the meat is cooked through (see notes).
  • Uncover, turn the flame on high to dry all the excess liquid until you're left with a thick dry gravy that just coats the meat.
  • garnish with sliced green chilies, ginger and cilantro and serve with fresh, hot naan

Notes

  • Seasoning - Salt and chilies are spices that often need adjustment to personal taste. I tend to keep them on the lower side in my recipes, as more can always be added, but too much can be a problem. I recommend tasting the curry towards the end of the cooking process and adjusting it to suit your taste.
  • Lemon - One large lemon is approximately equal to 2 teaspoons. 
  • Meat - In Pakistan, we get a specific cut of meat called "undercut" for pasandas, and the butcher usually trims it and cuts it into perfectly sized pieces. The best I've found here in the USA is tenderloin. If you can access a good butcher who will slice it into thin 2x4 strips, that's perfect! If not, grab a good knife and do the best you can! The thinner the strips, the better! 
  • Tenderizing - Even though the strips are cut thin, they must be tenderized. The best way to do that is to use the rough side of a meat mallet to pound them till they're half as thin and double in size.
  • Cooking Time - If the meat is of good quality and has been cut as specified, it should be done in the time stipulated. However, conditions such as the stove you're using, the cooking pot, and the actual meat itself all play a role in the final results. Use your best judgment to decide when the meat is done.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 646kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 24gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 747mgPotassium: 692mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 793IUVitamin C: 87mgCalcium: 117mgIron: 4mg
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