Fred Cress
Savoury Mince
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 aubergine, cubed
- 1 garlic clove, diced
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground tumeric
- 1 teaspoon garam marsala
- splash of red wine vinegar
- 500 g minced meat
- 1 cup beef stock
- 400 g tin peeled tomatoes, diced, or
- whole tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup raisins or sultanas
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 heaped teaspoon sambal olek
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 pot Greek-style yoghurt
- 1 lemon
- chives
Heat the olive oil in a deep-frying pan and fry the onions and aubergine until soft.
Add the garlic and ginger, then all the spices, along with the red wine vinegar.
Stir and fry a little longer.
Add the minced meat and fry until brown - the spices should be right through the meat.
Pour in the beef stock and diced tomatoes.
Add the raisins, sugar and sambal olek.
Stir and cook. Reduce the heat and cover.
Meanwhile, heat a saucepan of water.
Add a little salt and a few drops of oil, and bring to the boil.
Add the rice and lower the heat yet keep it boiling.
Normally rice takes about 20 minutes to cook, so at around 12 minutes add the peas.
At 15 minutes test the rice by taking some out on a fork and pressing between your fingers.
If soft yet firm it's ready.
Immediately pour into a colander under cold running water (this stops the rice cooking any further and washes away any starch).
The rice should be nice and fluffy.
Let drain.
Later, place the rice in a bowl and when time to serve, microwave for 3-4
minutes on high.
Back to the mince.
Add the pot of yoghurt and cook a little longer.
Taste for salt and add if needed.
I like the opposing tastes of sweet, tart and chilli hot so just before serving I add a dash of lemon juice.
Finally, to make it look more appetising, sprinkle diced chives over the top.
serves 4