Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot over medium-high heat and cook beef stew meat until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and cook half of the onions over medium-low heat until they are very soft and are starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add sauteed onions and uncooked onions to the pot with the meat. Add cloves and bay leaves and simmer for 45 more minutes. Season with beef bouillon.
When meat is cooked through, season with vinegar, sugar, and curry powder. Remove 1 tablespoon of liquid and stir together with potato starch in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add slurry back to the stew to thicken. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes.