I Turned Corned Beef Into a Proper Curry

Title / Presenter

“Hi everyone, welcome to the channel. I’m Rick.” — Rick (YouTube video: “I Turned Corned Beef Into a Proper Curry”)

Ingredients

• 1 tin/can corned beef (the sole protein)
• Ghee for frying and finishing (butter or neutral oil can be used instead)
• A few cumin seeds
• Onions — enough to cook down and form the base (quantity not specified)
• Green chilies — about 3 (adjust to taste)
• Garlic and ginger — used together (amounts not specified)
• Ground spices (to taste): turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground black pepper
• Garam masala — a little during cooking and a pinch to finish
• Tomato paste or puree — a heaped tablespoon
• Chicken stock (or water) — Rick uses a cube dissolved in hot water; enough to loosen into a thick paste
• Frozen peas — a handful (added near the end)
• Fresh coriander / cilantro — for garnish
• Salt — not added in Rick’s recipe (the corned beef and stock provide salt); adjust to taste

Equipment and Prep

• Steel frying pan (Rick did not use non-stick)
• Bowl or the original can/bowl to hold fried corned beef once removed
• Spatula or spoon for scraping fond and breaking up meat
• Prepare stock (dissolve one chicken stock cube in hot water) if using
• Remove corned beef from the tin before cooking

Step-by-step Method

1. Heat the pan with ghee over medium–medium-high heat (“doesn’t have to be too high”).
2. Add the corned beef and fry until browned and crisped in places, rendering fat and developing caramelization. Scrape any fond from the pan. (No exact time given—cook to desired brown/char.)
3. Remove the browned corned beef to a bowl.
4. In the same pan, add a little more ghee and a few cumin seeds.
5. Add chopped onions and cook down to golden and soft — about 6–7 minutes (longer on a lower flame). Do not rush this step.
6. Add green chilies, then garlic and ginger; stir briefly on lowered heat so they don’t burn.
7. Add ground spices (turmeric, chili powder, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and some garam masala) and gently bloom them — stir steadily and don’t rush or burn them.
8. Stir in a heaped tablespoon of tomato paste/puree and cook briefly with the onion-spice mix. You can raise the heat slightly for this step.
9. Add stock (or water) to form a thick curry paste — aim for a thick consistency (moist but not watery).
10. Add frozen peas and cook for a minute or two until warmed through.
11. Return the fried corned beef to the pan, break it up and fold into the curry until well combined and heated.
12. Finish with a pinch of garam masala, a little extra ghee, and chopped fresh coriander/cilantro. Serve.

Timing and Heat Cues

• Fry corned beef until brown/crisp (visual cue; no exact minutes).
• Cook onions until golden/soft: ~6–7 minutes (longer on low heat).
• Bloom spices gently on reduced heat — watch for aroma and color; do not burn.
• Cook peas only a minute or two.
• Final assembly: heat through until peas and corned beef are incorporated.

Chef Tips and Notes

• Fry the canned corned beef first to render flavored fat and get caramelization — this adds depth and should not be skipped.
• Ghee gives authentic flavor; butter or oil will work as substitutes.
• Be cautious with salt — corned beef and stock can be quite salty; taste before adding extra.
• Bloom spices gently; rushing or burning them will harm the dish’s flavor.
• If corned beef sticks, scrape the browned bits (fond) into the curry — they add flavor.
• Different brands of corned beef behave differently (some caramelize easier due to sugar content); adjust browning accordingly.
• Aim for a thick curry/paste rather than a thin, soupy sauce for this style.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Burning garlic/ginger or spices by keeping heat too high during those steps.
• Rushing onion browning and losing depth of flavor.
• Over-salting without accounting for salty canned beef/stock.
• Skipping the browning of corned beef — you’ll miss caramelization and rendered fat.

Plating / Finishing / Serving Suggestions

• Finish with fresh coriander/cilantro, a pinch of garam masala, and a touch of ghee for shine and aroma.
• Serve as a standard curry (no specific accompaniments were mentioned in the video subtitles).

Variations and Substitutions

• Use butter or neutral oil instead of ghee.
• Use tomato paste or tomato puree.
• Use stock or plain water if preferred.
• Although this recipe uses tinned corned beef, a similar approach (“ka” style curry) can be applied to fresh lamb, chicken, beef, etc.

Sources and Credits

• Recipe and demonstration by Rick — YouTube video: “I Turned Corned Beef Into a Proper Curry.” No external sources were referenced in the subtitles.