Beef with Whole Spices and Onions

Adapted from a Modern Indian Cooking kharu gos recipe using lamb

Ingredients:
1 pound beef, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 small potatoes, quartered
1 cinnamon stick
3 green or black cardamom pods
3 garlic cloves
2 dried red chiles, torn into pieces
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste, created using a mortar and pestle
a handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan until almost smoking. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, garlic and red chiles. As soon as the spices swell and change color, add the onions and sauté until browned. Add the beef cubes and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides.
2. When the liquid in the pan has almost dried up, add the ground spices and the ginger and garlic paste and stir well. Then add some salt and enough water to just about cover the meat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and summer for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time and adding water so it doesn’t dry up..
3. Add the potatoes and tomatoes. Cover again and simmer until the beef and potatoes are tender. Discard cinnamon stick. Season with cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.