Aloo Gosht (Pakistani Beef and Potato Stew)

Directions

1. Heat a tbsp of the oil on high in a heavy-bottomed pot. Season the stew beef with salt and pepper and brown. Remove to a plate.
2. Lower heat to medium or medium high, and add two more tbsp oil (making sure to scrape up any brown bits from the pot). Fry the onions, stirring, until they start to turn golden.
3. Add whole spices (cinnamon, black cardamom, black peppercorns and cloves) and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about a minute or two). Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring for a minute or two, then the ground spices (red chili, coriander, turmeric) and cook, stirring for a minute and being careful not to burn.
4. Add tomatoes and salt (stir well at this point to deglaze anything stuck to the pot) and cook until the tomatoes are well broken down and the oil starts to separate from the sauce.
5. Add the beef back into the pot along with 1.5 - 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until beef is very tender (about an hour, but I will confess I don't keep very good time, I just check once in awhile). Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. You can make this as thick or thin as you like (we prefer it a little thinner, with more sauce). Check seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.
6. Stir in the potaoes and the green chiles, and cook until the potatoes are very soft but not falling apart. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve with a squirt of lemon juice (optional) and with warm naan perfect for sopping up the gravy.