Cheat Tausug Beef Kulma

🍛 Soon: Buy & sell home-cooked food in PH
Difficulty
Easy
Servings
3–4 servings
Prep Time
05 Mins
Active Time
20 Mins

Kulma is a rich Tausug beef curry dish. It's commonly prepared during special occasions in Mindanaoan households, but we've been happy to see it become a more known dish all around. Kulma is stewed in coconut milk, peanut butter, and tomato paste, giving it a complex mix of flavors. Think of it as a crossover between traditional curry and kare-kare.

The stew usually takes two to three hours to make. Our "cheat" version cuts that time in half and takes a few shortcuts in flavoring the broth, but the end result is just as flavorful.

Beef

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 500g beef sirloin, cut into small pieces
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Stew

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 green chilies, sliced, divided
  • 2 red chilies, sliced, divided
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, minced
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 packet instant Kare-Kare mix
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef stock or water
  • 1 cup coconut milk
1

Cook beef: Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Once hot, sear beef until browned on one side, about 1 ½ minutes. Set aside.

2

Make sauce: Add oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add half the green chilies, half the red chilies, and lemongrass. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Add curry powder, instant Kare-Kare mix, peanut butter, and tomato paste. Cook until toasted. Add beef stock, stir, and cook until the Kare-Kare mix is dissolved and the peanut butter and tomato paste are well incorporated. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and bring the mixture down to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.

3

Finish: Add cooked beef and coconut milk, saving some milk for garnish if desired, to the sauce. Stir to combine. Garnish with remaining chilies and serve.

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