In the U.S., oxtails are not such a common meat. Most cooks have no idea what to do with them. They are used mostly in soups. While in South Africa, I learned what a flavorful dish can be created using oxtails as the basis of a curry. This is one of my personal favorite combinations.
Ingredients:
3 pounds oxtail
3 Tablespoons curry powder
4 cloves
4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 pint of meat stock
1 small onion, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
3 Tablespoons butter or pareve margarine (if Kosher is required)
2 Tablespoons cake flour
Directions:
Cut the oxtail into joints and wash thoroughly.
Place meat in a heavy saucepan and add the spices and boiling water.
Simmer for three to four hours, adding more stock when necessary.
After two hours add salt, pepper, onion, carrot and turnip.
Remove the bay leaf, cloves and peppercorns and skim off as much fat as possible.
In a sauce pan, on a medium heat, melt the butter/margarine in a pan, add the cake flour and sauté until brown.
Add the flour mixture to the meat and gravy in the saucepan and stir until the gravy thickens.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.