I was surprised to find small amounts of curry powder used for seasoning in many recipes that no longer call for it. Along with paprika and celery salt, it seems to have been a staple in the 1940s spice cupboard.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound round steak
1½ tablespoons vegetable shortening or butter (or a mixture)
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped string beans
3 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 pint home-canned or 1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes
Combine flour, curry powder, and salt in a pie plate. Cut steak into 4 pieces. Coat pieces completely in flour mixture; reserve any remaining flour mixture.
Melt half of shortening in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Brown meat well on one side. Turn meat and brown other side in remaining shortening. Sprinkle any remaining flour mixture around meat.
Spoon carrots, beans, pepper, and onion over steaks. Pour tomatoes over all. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour, adding water if needed to keep meat from scorching.
To serve, remove meat to warm serving platter. Remove and discard any fat from vegetable mixture; stir mixture and spoon over steaks. If vegetable mixture is too thin, cook, uncovered, stirring constantly until it reaches desired consistency before spooning over steaks.
4 Servings