If you love bold and complex flavor, this curry is a delicious combination of spices and aromatics, with hints of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors.
This recipe is a copycat of Mui Garden’s Beef Brisket Curry in Vancouver which is a Hong Kong Classic!
The tender beef brisket, creamy coconut milk, and soft potato chunks add texture and depth to the dish taking you back to your childhood!
How To Make This Hong Kong Beef Brisket Curry Recipe
Easy to make: This recipe is easy to make in an Instant Pot, making it a quick and convenient weeknight meal. Simply sauté the aromatics and brown the beef brisket, add the remaining ingredients, and pressure cook everything together for 35 minutes.
This dish is packed with protein and nutrients from the beef brisket and potatoes. The use of coconut milk provides healthy fats and can be a great alternative to heavy cream in other curries.
Beef Brisket Curry Tips
The most important part of this recipe is the curry powder, specifically the Madras Curry Powder. It is mostly turmeric and very mild so you can adjust the spice level and consistency of the curry to your liking. If you prefer a spicier curry, you can add garlic chilli sauce, siracha or your favourite chilli oil.
You can also adjust the amount of liquid to make the curry thicker or thinner! This is also great for beef brisket noodle curry soup.
This curry can be served over rice, noodles, or with your favorite bread. It also makes great leftovers because it freezes super easy and can be reheated for a quick and delicious weekday meal.
The Hong Kong Beef Brisket Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For the Saute Base:
1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or avocado)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced shallot
For the Beef & Sauce
1.5 to 2 lbs beef brisket, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 tbsp Chu Hou sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
3 bay leaves
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 tsp beef bouillon powder (or 1/2 cube)
2 cups water (or unsalted beef broth)
1 can (400ml) full-fat coconut cream (not coconut milk)
Spice blend (mix together before cooking):
1/4 cup Madras curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp fennel powder (optional)
Pinch of chili powder (optional, for mild heat)
2 Cups of Cooked Rice (For Serving)
Instructions
Sauté Aromatics
Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add neutral oil + sesame oil. Sauté garlic, ginger, and shallot until fragrant (about 1–2 minutes).Brown the Brisket
Add beef brisket and sear on all sides until lightly browned (5–6 minutes). Stir in Chu Hou sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white pepper, and sugar. Toss well to coat.Bloom the Spices
Add the prepared spice blend. Stir constantly for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.Add Liquid & Pressure Cook
Add coconut cream, water, beef bouillon, bay leaves, and potato chunks. Stir well to combine.
Seal Instant Pot lid and set to Pressure Cook – High for 35 minutes. Let natural release for 10–15 minutes before manually venting.Reduce Sauce (Optional)
Remove the lid and switch to Sauté mode if you’d like to reduce the sauce. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the potatoes.Taste & Adjust
Taste and add more salt or sugar if needed to balance. You’re looking for a mellow curry with richness from the coconut and a gentle spice from the curry blend.
To Serve:
Serve with steamed jasmine rice or fragrant basmati. Spoon plenty of curry sauce over the rice.
Optional: garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro or a drizzle of coconut cream for presentation.
Tips:
Do not skip Chu Hou sauce—it’s what gives Hong Kong–style brisket its unique sweet-savory base.
For extra depth, add a small dried tangerine peel while pressure cooking (a classic HK touch).
This curry is not meant to be spicy, so keep heat to a minimum. Use Madras curry powder and a touch of chili powder only if desired.
I’ll try out this recipe and see how it compares to the Mui Garden’s Flavour, I’ll let you know how it goes with an Update
Yes please do let me know when you have tried it! I would love to know how it worked out 🙂
have you considered adding Evaporated Milk to the Recipe?
I’ve never thought about that before, but I’ll try it on my next batch. Thanks for the tip!
I haven’t but that should work too – let me know how it goes!
what brand coconut milk do you use? what will evaporated milk do for the recipe?
I use Aroy Milk. I’ve never done it with evaporated milk but it should work too, let me know how it goes!
how do you recommend I cook this if I don’t have an instant pot? super excited to try!