So you would love a good stew for dinner tonight but it’s too hot outside for heavy gravy loaded platefuls on your dinner table? Then this ginger beef stew might be the solution to your dinner dilemma!
Why?
Well because fresh ginger is quite refreshing and a little spicy if you add it to food.
Do you often cook with fresh ginger?
Another question might be: do you like ginger at all? Because I know quite a few people who hate it. I have to admit that I haven’t always been a huge fan of ginger. I have started to appreciate it over the years.
Fresh Ginger vs. Ground Ginger
Nowadays I love it to bits.
True, I don’t often cook with ginger.
That’s why I have ground ginger in my spice rack. But we have to be honest here: the ground version doesn’t come anywhere near the fresh ginger if we’re talking about flavor. However my supermarket sells large portions of fresh ginger.
Easy Ginger Beef Stew with Cardamom
What should I do with all of it?
I used to throw away fresh ginger because it would start to go mushy and mouldy. What a waste! Over the years I have turned myself into a bag and tag expert: I learned how to freeze lots of ingredients for later use.
Like fresh basil for instance!
I even wrote a separate post about 15 ingredients you didn’t know you can freeze!
Or how about pickling vegetables for later!
A must read, believe me.
Fresh Ginger
So imagine what happens if you add it to a pan full of deliciously fragrant boiling ginger beef stew and potatoes. The zingy ginger will keep the stew fresh and light. And because we are not adding any cream afterwards this is by far one of my favorite summer stews!
Do you love spicy fresh stews?
Then also check out my hot beef rendang!
Enjoy!
Easy Ginger Beef Stew with Cardamom Recipe
You love a good stew but it’s too hot outside for heavy food? This ginger beef stew might be the solution to your dinner dilemma!
- 2 lbs beef chuck (900 g)
- 7 oz frozen green peas (200 g)
- 10,5 oz waxy potatoes (350 g)
- 4 cups beef stock (920 ml)
- 4 bay leaves
- 10 cardamom pods
- 5 garlic cloves
- 4- inch fresh ginger (10 cm)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- olive oil
- 4 cloves
- pepper
- salt
- Chop the beef chuck up into large chunks and add them to a mixing bowl. Season the beef a little with pepper and salt. Toss the meat a couple of times to stir. Pour a good splash of olive oil in a large and high pan and place this over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced beef.
- Quickly stir fry the beef for a couple of minutes until a little golden on all sides. Then peel and chop the garlic. Add this together with the bay leaves to the beef in the pan.
Stir well again. Now add the fresh ginger and the cardamom pods to the beef. Pour in the beef stock. Season with a good dash of pepper and salt.
- Stir and bring the beef and stock to a rolling boil. Then turn the heat low again and simmer the beef for at least 2 hours. You van make this stew in a crockpot as well if you have one. Stir the beef stew regularly. Add extra water of stock if necessary. In the end stir in the tomato paste.
- Add an extra splash of water and simmer the beef for another 30 minutes. Peel and chop the potatoes. Add them to the stew.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Then add the frozen green peas.
- Stir well. Simmer the stew for another 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Remove the ginger and the bay leaves. Scoop the stew onto plates and serve piping hot.
