Beef Curry

1kg beef cubed,
1 medium onion finely chopped
425 grams canned finely crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon crushed ginger
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4-6 curry leaves (cari poulet)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped coriander leaves
3 tablespoons curry powder (hot or mild depending on your preference)
3 quartered potatoes (optional)

Cut beef into 1-2 cm cubes or bite sizes, depending upon your own preference. Season beef pieces with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Finely chop the medium onion.
Over medium-high heat, put 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a deep saucepan . Stir fry the crushed garlic, ginger, chopped thyme leaves, crushed curry leaves and finely chopped onion, until the onion pieces become transparent. Pour and stir in the finely crushed tomatoes, add 1 tablespoon of coarsely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well together. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the crushed tomatoes are cooked and the sauce is well blended. Add a little hot water if necessary to maintain sauce consistency and to prevent it from drying out. Mix well and stir continually to prevent sauce from burning.
Stir 3 tablespoons of curry powder into the tomato sauce. Mix well and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the curry powder is integrated into the sauce and cooked. Add a little hot water if necessary to maintain sauce consistency. The sauce should be thick and creamy, but not too liquid and not too thick.
Stir in the beef cubes (& optional quartered potatoes). Mix well. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water and mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the beef pieces are cooked. Adjust the sauce with a little hot water if necessary to maintain the sauce consistency to your preference. If you prefer a dry curry, do not add too much water but make sure that the sauce is liquid enough to prevent it from burning. On the other hand if you like a lot of sauce, add hot water a little at a time until the sauce is adjusted to your preference.
Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with a 1 tablespoon of coarsely chopped coriander leaves.