This Eurasian corned beef stew is one of those old heritage recipes that has stayed quietly obscure. It comes from the Eurasian kitchens of Singapore and Malaysia, where good food was never about spectacle, only flavour, thrift and feeding people well. I’ve had this recipe on my other site (LinsFood) for well over a decade, from back when it was rarely written about online, and even now it remains one of those dishes that still lives more in memory and home kitchens than anywhere else.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
What is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is basically salt cured beef, with or without the addition of sugar and spices. The term corned comes from the fact that the large grains of salt used in the process are called corns of salt.
This method of curing beef has been around for hundreds of years, and is still popular today. You can get corned beef in cans (as I’ve got here) or even fresh, sold in delis. Either of these is perfect for our Eurasian Corned Beef Stew today. You can, if you prefer, also go for the low fat variety.
Eurasian Corned Beef Stew Recipe
Eurasian corned beef stew is a light, home-style stew made with corned beef, vegetables and a few gentle spices. It is not a thick, heavy Western beef stew, and it is not quite a soup either.
Think of it instead as the sort of in-between dish that sits very happily beside plain rice, with the beef lending flavour while the vegetables do a lot of the heavy lifting.
It is also one of those dishes that catches people off guard because corned beef is not usually the glamorous one at the party. Here, though, it works beautifully. It softens into the broth, seasons everything around it, and turns a few humble vegetables into a proper meal.
Eurasian you say?
Eurasian food in Singapore and Malaysia has always been wonderfully mixed up in the best possible way. You see European influence, Asian ingredients, family improvisation, old colonial histories, local tastes, and kitchen pragmatism that says use what you’ve got abut make it good.
This stew fits that story rather well. It’s simple, thrifty, comforting, and very much the sort of thing that belongs in a real home kitchen. Not a show-off dish. Not a restaurant darling. Just good food that people actually cooked.
And that is exactly why I like it so much.
It was one of my mother’s frequent dishes at home. She was a nurse, worked long shifts, and didn’t have time to stand around performing culinary theatre for anyone. So this was her sort of meal: quick, practical, filling, and full of flavour.
It is also one of those obscure Eurasian heritage recipes you will struggle to find written up properly anywhere else. I’ve had my version published online for well over a decade, and even now it remains one of the few proper written references to this old family-style dish.
Click here to read up more about the Eurasians and the various ethnic groups in Singapore and Malaysia.
The Recipe
This is an easy Eurasian corned beef stew recipe, and one of its charms is that it’s not fussy. There are no grand rules and no sacred vegetable list.
The flavour base starts with a little warmth from cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns, then heightened with aromatics. After that, the corned beef goes in, followed by stock and vegetables. That is basically it.
The end result is light but savoury, soft but not mushy, and comforting in the way that only an old family recipe can be. The corned beef breaks up into the broth rather than sitting there in proud, chunky cubes, which means every spoonful gets a little of everything.
Ingredients
Canned corned beef
This is the classic pantry-friendly option and very much in keeping with the spirit of the dish. It breaks up gently into the broth and gives the stew its distinctive savoury richness.
Onion, garlic and chilli
These form the aromatic base of the stew. The chilli should bring warmth rather than fierce heat, although you can always increase it if you like things a little livelier.
Cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns
This is where the stew quietly reminds you it is Eurasian. The spices are not heavy-handed, just enough to give warmth, fragrance and depth. If you’re not fond of “accidentally” biting into a peppercorn when you have a mouthful, leave them out and just go crazy at the end with freshly ground black pepper.
Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum, tomato and peas
This is a very vegetable-forward stew, which is part of its charm. The vegetables are not just there to pad things out. They are very much part of what makes the dish what it is.
As you’ll see in the recipe, I only hold the tomatoes and peas, adding them at the end. If you want your other vegetables a lttle crunchier, give the potatoes 10 minute start, then add the carrots, cauliflower and capsicum (bell pepper).
Beef stock
Use a light stock with good flavour. You want enough body to carry the stew, without turning it into something too thick or overpowering.
A standard beef stock cube or stockpot is diluted with 500 ml (2 cups) of water. For this recipe, we want half-strength stock, so we’d use only half the amount.
Fresh coriander
Scatter it over just before serving for freshness and a little lift at the end. You could also use spring onions (scallions), if you prefer.
How to Serve
Traditionally, Eurasian corned beef stew is served with plain white rice, which makes perfect sense. The broth soaks into the rice, the vegetables sit happily alongside it, and the whole thing becomes the sort of meal you can demolish without needing a side dish to rescue it.
A little sambal on the side is a very good idea though. It adds heat, sharpness and that extra punch that wakes everything up. Because what’s Life without sambal? Sambal belacan is perfect for this.
You can also serve it with crusty bread if you like, especially if you want to lean into the stew side of things. But for me, rice is the more natural partner.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot. If the stew has thickened slightly in the fridge, add a small splash of water or stock to loosen it.
I would not rush to freeze it, simply because the vegetables can go a bit soft and sorry afterwards. It will still be edible, but not quite as nice.
Variations
Use different vegetables
This is a flexible stew, so celery, leeks or green beans can all work well here.
Make it spicier
Add more chillies or use a hotter chilli if you want more heat.
Use fresh corned beef
If you have deli-style corned beef instead of canned, that works too. The flavour and texture will be slightly different, but still very good.
Keep it lighter
Use a little less corned beef and a few more vegetables, which is entirely in the spirit of the dish anyway.
Serve it as part of a bigger meal
It sits very well beside other Singaporean or Malaysian dishes if you are putting together a full spread.
FAQs
Eurasian corned beef stew is a light, home-style heritage dish from the Eurasian communities of Singapore and Malaysia. It is made with corned beef, vegetables, stock and a few warm spices.
Yes, most versions use canned corned beef because it is practical, affordable and very much in keeping with the spirit of the dish. Fresh corned beef can also be used.
It is savoury, comforting and gently spiced, with warmth from cinnamon, cloves and black pepper rather than lots of heat. The vegetables soften into the broth and the corned beef gives the stew its rich, distinctive flavour.
Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum, tomatoes and peas are all common in this stew. Like many old home recipes, it is flexible and can be adapted to what you have.
It is usually served with plain white rice, which soaks up the broth beautifully. A little sambal on the side also works very well.
Yes. It reheats well, which makes it a very good make-ahead meal for lunch or dinner the next day.
You can, but the vegetables may soften a little too much once thawed, so it is best eaten fresh or kept in the fridge for a few days instead.
Yes. It is an old-fashioned Eurasian home-style dish from Singapore and Malaysia, and one that is still relatively obscure outside family kitchens.
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating! Thank you!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Eurasian Corned Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 100 g white cabbage
- 100 g cauliflower
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 green capsicum (bell pepper)
- 1 tomato
- 1 medium potato
- 1 handful peas fresh or frozen
Aromatics
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 red chilli
Dry Spices
- 1 small piece cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- ¼ tsp black peppercorns
Everything Else
- 300 g corned beef (can or fresh) more or less is fine, depending on the size of your can
- 250 ml beef stock
- 250 ml water
Garnish
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves chopped, to serve
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Halve, then slice the onion thinly. Slice the garlic widthwise. Slice the red chilli.1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 red chilli
- Slice the cabbage into thin strips.100 g white cabbage
- Cut the cauliflower into little florets.100 g cauliflower
- Chop up the carrot into thin rings. Chop up the capsicum into roughly the same size as the carrots, and quarter the tomatoes.1 medium carrot, 1 green capsicum, 1 tomato
- Scrub the potato clean, no need to peel, then chop into 5 cm (2 in) cubes.1 medium potato
Let's get Cooking
- Skim some of the fat off the corned beef and heat in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. If there isn't much fat, add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.300 g corned beef
- Sauté the cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns in this fat or oil for 30 seconds.1 small piece cinnamon, 3 cloves, ¼ tsp black peppercorns
- Add the onions, garlic and chillies and fry for 1 minute, until you get a whiff of the aroma.
- Add the corned beef and fry for about 3 minutes, breaking it up with the end of your ladle as you go along.
- Add the stock, water, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and capsicum and cook for 15 minutes.250 ml beef stock, 250 ml water
- At the end of 15 minutes, add the cauliflower and tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Finally, stir in the peas and check seasoning. Add a little salt if you think you need it but corned beef is pretty salty to begin with.1 handful peas
- Finish off with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and the coriander leaves (cilantro).1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves
This was so nice Azlin, never would have thought of corned beef in stew. I am so intrigued by all these recipes you have here and can’t wait for this new site of yours to grow!
Hi Brad, I’m so pleased to hear that. It’s a curiously delicious stew, this one!