This is the perfect comfort food for summer time – using fresh veggies and adding a delicious cardamom flavor. It’s easy to prepare ahead of time and freezes well.

Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus 5 hours of slow cooking the beef or 15 minutes of cooking in the pressure cooker)

What you need:

1 lb (500g) beef, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 inch (4cm) fresh ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cardamom

4 black cardamom pods

1 onion, chopped

14oz (400g) tomato sauce (1 can)

1 tablespoon flour

2 cups water

1 zucchini, halved and sliced in ½ inch (1cm) slices

1 yellow squash, halved and sliced in ½ inch (1cm) slices

2 yellow/red/green bell peppers, cubed to bite size

1 teaspoon chili powder

salt and pepper

How to do it:

Most important is to get the beef really tender which is best done by cooking in very slow and very long, about 4-5 hours. Alternatively, if you have a pressure cooker, you can just cook at high pressure for about 15 minutes and wait another 10 minutes until the steam has decreased.

Start by mixing the meat with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 large tablespoon cardamom powder, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside. (You can do this several hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, so the meat is nicely marinated. But you can also just let it stand for 10 minutes. The flavor won’t be as intense, but still very delicious.)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot at medium-to-high heat and cook onions until translucent, for about 4-5 minutes. Add 2 garlic cloves and ginger and cook for another minute. Add a little water if it is too sticky to the bottom.

Add marinated meat and cook at high heat for about 5 minutes, reduce heat to low, add cardamon pods and 2 cups of water and let simmer for 4-5 hours (or alternatively for 15 minutes in the pressure cooker).

Add tomato sauce, zucchini, squash and peppers and salt and pepper let cook for 15 minutes at medium heat until veggies have softened but are not too soft or even mashy.

Mix 1 tablespoon flour with 3-4 tablespoons water, stir well so there are no lumps. Add to pot and stir carefully, let it briefly come to a boil. This will thicken the sauce a bit.

If you like to spice it up, sprinkle with chili flakes.

Serve with couscous, white rice or brown rice.

Enjoy!

Note: This stew is perfect to make ahead of time and it also freezes well.