Beef Boakibaa

This is a recipe like the standard Maldivian boakibaa, but with a beefy riff on it! This beef boakibaa does not miss on flavour and is perfect for teatime or gatherings.

For the beef in this boakibaa recipe, we have used Rum Jungle Free-Range Ground Beef, provided to us by one of our partners, Blackgold Foods. This is 80 percent lean beef, which is free of any hormones and antibiotics. The beef browns really nicely, giving the boakibaa a really deep, savoury flavor.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

For soaking the rice

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups water

For the beef

• 1 cup Rum Jungle Free-Range Ground Beef (defrosted)
• 2 tsp oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp cumin powder

For the rice mixture

• ¼ cup thinly sliced onions
• ¼ tsp minced ginger
• ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
• ½ tsp whole black pepper
• 10 curry leaves
• 6 tbsp water

For the boakibaa mixture

• ¾ cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 thinly sliced scotch bonnet
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp minced ginger
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 10 chopped curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• 1 ½ tbsp oil (to brush the pan)

Instructions:

1. Wash and drain 1 cup rice well. Then, place it in a bowl along with 2 cups water and let it soak for at least 2 hours. If you can manage it, let it soak overnight.
2. To a pan, add 2 tsp oil and heat it on high heat for 30 seconds. Then add 1 cup defrosted Rum Jungle Free-Range Ground Beef, and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the beef changes colour (it will turn a brown-ish color). Then, add ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, ¼ tsp cumin powder, mix well and keep stir-frying for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Add the cooked ground beef into a blender and grind for 30 seconds on high power until the beef has the consistency of a paste. Set that aside.
4. Drain and soak the rice, then add it into the blender along with ¼ cup thinly sliced onions, ¼ tsp minced ginger, ½ tsp whole cumin seeds, ½ tsp whole black pepper, and 10 curry leaves. Grind for 5 seconds on high power to mix everything, stopping to scrape the sides. Then, add 6 tbsp water and grind again for 30 seconds or until it comes to a smooth consistency. Set aside.
5. In a bowl, mix ¾ cup thinly sliced onions and 1 thinly sliced scotch bonnet along with 3 tbsp lime juice. You’ll have to use your fingers to really squash and squeeze it until the onion slices become soft and release their juices.
6. Then, add in the cooked and minced Rum Jungle Free-Range Ground Beef, ½ cup grated coconut, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp minced ginger, 1 ½ tsp salt, 10 chopped curry leaves and mix well again using your fingers. Have a taste to make sure that you like the balance of ingredients (saltiness and sourness) and make adjustments if you need to.
7. Then, add the ground rice mixture, along with ½ cup water and mix again until everything is fully combined. Depending on how long you soaked the rice and the dryness of your mixture, you can add more water too. The mixture has to be wet, not watery.
8. Add 1 ½ tbsp oil into a pan and heat it up on high heat for 30 seconds. Then, pour the boakibaa mixture into the pan and use the back of a spatula to smoothen the top.
9. Put the lid on the top of the boakibaa so the top of the boakibaa can cook alongside the bottom.  Continue cooking on medium heat for 16 minutes or until the bottom turns hard and turns into a brownish colour.
10. Then take the lid off, flip the boakibaa and cook the other side for another 22 minutes or until that side becomes hard and changes colour to brown too. While cooking the boakibaa, occasionally press down on the top to make sure that the bottom is touching the pan.
11. Once cooked, take the boakibaa off the heat and cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Serve to guests and enjoy!