Malaysian Beef Curry - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coriander
1/2 tablespoon cumin
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cardamom pod
2 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 star anise
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
4 red chili peppers
2 garlic cloves
1/2 inch fresh galangal root (or 2 tsp dried)
1/2 inch fresh ginger
2 teaspoons fresh lemongrass (minced)
3 shallots
1 lb stewing beef
1 cup coconut milk
3 small potatoes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preparation

1. Toast the whole, dry spices in a frying pan on the stove. Then grind together with a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
2. grind together wet spices into a paste with 1/2 of the oil. Add dry spices.
3. sweat shallots in frying pan, with the other 1/2 of the oil for 20 minutes on a LOW heat. Do not allow them to brown. Add to the spice paste.
4. Lightly brown stew meat in frying pan, then mix with the spice paste.
5. place beef mixture, coconut milk, potato, soy sauce, and lime leaf in crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.