Firstly, Happy New Year all!!

I have bought a massive stock of cubed beef recently and thought it would be good to try a beef curry, however I am aware that due to the cow being sacred to Hindu's, there are few Indian recipes which encourage the use of beef.

Would any of you be able to advise which recipes on this site may work if I substitute the protein ingredient for beef. Personally, I'm not sure which spices would complement beef.

Any suggestions welcome!

Many thanks,

James.

James, this site has several dishes specifically for Beef and others that could be used...

for instance Beef Madras Curry

If you look at the buttons at the top of this page ^ and look to about the fourth from the left "search" click on that then type "beef". You should get a list of several dishes that mention beef !

Steve

the cow is not 'sacred' in India, as understood in western parlance.

'Beef' in India is water buffalo, unless you are in Kerala, as 'mutton' is usually goat. Beef Madras is an 'Indian restaurant' invention.

"the cow is not 'sacred' in India"

Cow IS sacred in India to Hindu population, the majority, Lapis. It has the title of 'gow maata' or 'gau maata', translated it means 'mother cow'. The reasons why it is considered 'mother' are many, but the end result is the same. No practicing Hindu will hurt or kill a cow.

Mamta, as I understand it:

"The Hindu does not worship the cow, has never worshipped the cow, and is not likely to ever worship the cow. The cow is not even sacred, in the way it has been misunderstood by Europeans. The cow is literally taboo, a very different animal indeed from the sacred cow of popular delusion. Taboos in sociological terms are both positive and negative, as in taboos that must be respected and deferred to, as well as taboos that deal with what is abhorent.

The cow is Aghanya - that which may not be slaughtered. It is true that later sects began to call the cow the mother and even wrote scripture to support this, but it was a transference of reverence from the mother to the cow because both provide milk! The "milk-debt" was culturally a very strong move, and it was felt that it would not be fair to leave the cow out of its share of respect for contributing to one's health. Nevertheless the cow was originally only Aghanya."

I Think I deleted one post here by mistake!! Sooory!

Hello Lapis

I don't claim to be an expert on Hindu religion, just a humble follower of it and not a very strict one at that. My family being followers of Aryasamaj philosophy within Hindu religion, we do not really believe in worshipping any idols or cows etc., believing that God is everywhere. God does not sit in idols, temples, churches, mosques or live in cows, snakes, monkeys etc. etc. That said, the fact remains that cow is and has been worshipped by Indians for a very long time, though I couldn?t tell you for how long exactly. God Krishna?s association with cows may have something to with it. Cow?s milk providing nourishment for children, as well as grown ups vegetarian, may also have something to do with it. You are right in that cow worship is probably not part of the ancient Hindu religion/traditions, but it is quite common in present day India. You often see a cow bedecked with garlands, decorations, colourful scarves, Tilak, bells etc. etc. Even cow dung is used as part of ?purifying? plaster/paint for village houses, courtyards etc. (this may have some antiseptic properties or may keep mosquitoes away, I am not sure).

For me, it is not something I have any desire to prove right or wrong. Cow Poojan (worship) is a fact of life for many Indians. Since no one will kill or ?put to sleep? old cows, because it is a sin to kill a cow, and since they are too expensive to keep, people just let them loose, once they stop giving milk. They just roam the streets, causing havoc with the traffic. This of course is very cruel and makes a mockery of cow worshippers.

My GM, who was not a follower of Aryasamaj tradition, even wearing things made from cow hide was unthinkable and sinful. She wore wooden ?Kharaoon? sandals or plastic ones later on. My 89 year old mother always takes out her first chapatti for the cow, to give to the milkman when he delivers her daily milk. She is a staunch follower of Aryasamaj tradition, so shouldn?t be doing it, but does it anyway, because her mum did it before her and it is something in Hindu psyche to worship a cow.

Best wishes

Mamta