Burt Lancaster's Beef Curry

Burt Lancaster's Beef Curry

1 tablespoon finely minced ginger root (green or candied)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced green onion (white part only)
1 clove garlic, mashed
10 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups coconut milk (2 cups each packaged flaked coconut and fresh milk simmered 2 minutes, strained)
3 cups beef stock (or diluted canned beef broth)
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
4 cups cold cooked beef, cut in one-inch cubes
3 tablespoons lemon Juice

Saute ginger, onion, garlic in butter until onion is golden. Add flour, stirring, cook 2 minutes over low flame. Slowly add coconut milk, beef stock, cream, salt, and curry powder. Let the sauce cook until smooth and creamy. Add meat, cook, stirring often for 10 minutes.

Add lemon juice to a little of the sauce; stir into remaining sauce. Serve immediately with boiled rice and top with any of the following condiments: chutney, grated coconut, crisp bacon crumbles, toasted almonds, peanuts, cashews, minced candled ginger, piccalilli, fried onion rings or chopped onions, mandarin orange sections, sieved hard-cooked egg, or raisins plumped in rum or brandy. Serves 6-8.

Thoughts: I've tried keeping ginger in my fridge immersed in sherry and vodka, uncovered in the veggie drawer, and tucked inside a bag -- paper or plastic. I've also frozen the unpeeled root. The winner for flavor and longevity: refrigerated in a self-sealing bag with all the air pressed out. To store a large chunk (called a hand), buy ginger that isn't wet, moldy, or withered; leave the peel on and blot off any moisture. It should keep for a couple of months. To use, simply cut off a "finger" of ginger, re-bag the rest, press out the air, and reseal.