Keema

Keema

Makes about 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons garam masala
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
750-800g minced beef (US: about a pound and three-quarters)
800g canned or frozen tomatoes (US: about 28 ounces)
140-150g tomato puree (US: about half a cup)
300ml stock or water (or leftover wine)

Optional:
100g red lentils, rinsed
200g chickpeas, cooked; or frozen peas


Method
Cook the onions and garlic in a large saucepan in the olive oil until well softened. Add all the spices, and stir for about a minute, then add the mince and continue cooking and stirring, mixing into the onions, until it starts to brown.

If using lentils, stir them in at this stage.

Add the rest of the ingredients and keep stirring until it reaches the boil. 

At this stage you can transfer it to a crockpot and simmer for 4-6 hours on 'medium'; alternatively, cover and simmer gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally to ensure that it does not burn.

Adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve over rice or baked potatoes, with a large salad or cooked vegetables.

Chickpeas or frozen peas can be added towards the end of the cooking, for authenticity.

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Keema is a traditional South Asian dish made of mince, often with added potatoes or peas. There are a variety of different ways of seasoning this, so feel free to adjust the spices according to taste. My original recipe only used garam masala, ginger and cumin; I make it a policy to add turmeric to anything like this, due to its health properties, and when I tasted it during cooking, I felt it lacked much 'kick', so I added the chili powder. Some chili powder is much stronger than other forms, so be careful with this.

There still seemed to be something missing, so I added some cinnamon, and it felt just right. However, different people like different spice combinations, so it's worth experimenting. Equally, if you can't stand one of the spices listed, or don't have it in your cupboard, you can leave it out.

Some recipes for keema include 200g yogurt, stirred in at the end; this will add a bit of taste, but obviously makes it unsuitable for dairy-free eaters.

Chili con Carne

Chili con Carne

(serves about 4)

500g mince - meat or vegetarian
1/2 cup red lentils, washed and drained (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed, or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 chopped green or red bell pepper
400g can crushed tomatoes, or equivalent fresh/frozen

200g (approx) can or packet of tomato puree
¼ - ½ tsp chili powder, depending on strength
1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp cumin seeds
125g (4 oz) dried pinto or other red beans (or 1 medium can, drained)

Method:
If using dried beans, soak them overnight in cold water. Drain, and boil rapidly for at least ten minutes, then simmer gently for half an hour or so until softened.

Cook the mince with the pepper, onion and garlic in a large pan, stirring until the mince is brown and the onion transparent. Add the lentils, with a little water if it starts to stick, or a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the rest of the ingredients with the drained beans, and a little extra water if the mixture looks too dry. Simmer for about half an hour, adding extra water if necessary.

Alternatively, use a slow-cooker. If you have a large one, you may need to double the ingredients, but this freezes well in individual portions. You can do the pre-cooking as in this recipe, or you can simply dump everything in the slow-cooker, stir well, and leave to simmer on medium for 5-6 hours or longer. The photos shows it cooking in two small crockpots, which is how I usually make it nowadays.

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This is a quick and easy recipe for the whole family which is almost infinitely flexible. You can adjust the ingredients to suit your family's tastes. We usually serve with baked potatoes although rice is more traditional, and perhaps some cabbage and peas.  It can also be used in enchiladas. 

Use any kind of mince: chicken is my preference nowadays, as I try to avoid red meat. But other kinds can work. You could even use vegetarian mince, although it's not then 'con carne' (with meat). The lentils are optional, but we find they make the consistency better, and they add to the protein and fibre content inexpensively. Use more, if you like them. 

Use chili powder sparingly, as a small amount goes a long way, particularly if the container is new. If you leave it (and the beans) out altogether, this makes a basic mince and tomato meat dish that can be used in many ways. 

Lasagne

(serves 4-6)

1 packet lasagne pasta

Meat sauce:
500g/1lb minced beef (or other ground meat)
2 medium onions, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 1tsp garlic powder
125g/4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tblsp parsley
1 large can chopped tomatoes in puree
or: 1 medium can chopped tomatoes and 1 medium packet tomato puree or sauce

Cheese sauce:
2 tblsp butter or margarine
1 tblsp flour
about 300ml / 2 cups milk
about 200g / 6 oz cheddar cheese, grated

Method:
If the lasagne pasta require pre-cooking, boil a large pan of slightly salted water and add a few drops of cooking oil. (This stops the pasta sticking). Check the packet for the quantity required for 4-6 people, then add the pasta one sheet at a time, and boil for the time recommended on the packet. Drain.

Meanwhile, fry the meat gently in a large non-stick pan, stirring all the time. You shouldn't need to add any fat as it will produce its own, unless you have very low-fat mince. Add the onions, garlic and mushrooms when the fat starts to appear, and fry with the meat, stirring constantly until softened and the meat is browned all over.

Add the rest of the meat ingredients and heat, stirring, until simmering. Boil gently for about ten minutes, adding a little water if it seems to thicken too fast. Those outside the USA and Canada can add a teaspoon of Marmite or Vegemite at this stage, for added flavour and nutrition. (These products are not generally available in North America).

While the meat is simmering, put the butter in a large microwavable jug, or a non-stick saucepan, and heat until just melted. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon, and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add the milk very gradually, stirring after each addition, so that no lumps appear. If you are using a saucepan over the stove, keep the pan on the stove on a low heat while you add each bit of milk, and stir all the time as you bring it to the boil. It should thicken to give a pouring sauce. If you are using a microwave, add all the milk gradually, then cook on High for a minute at a time, stirring well after each minute, until the sauce is thickened. Add half of the grated cheese.

Now take a large rectangular lasagne dish or similar, and grease it lightly with a butter wrapper. Spoon a very small amount of the meat sauce into the bottom, then cover with a layer of lasagne pasta, cutting as necessary to fit. Cover with another thin layer of meat, and then another layer of pasta, and continue until both are used up, ending with a layer of pasta. Pour the cheese sauce over the top, and then sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top. Place in a medium oven and cook for about half an hour, until the cheese is well melted and the meat bubbling. (If you use pasta which requires no pre-cooking, you may need to cook for longer - check on the packet).

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This is my most basic recipe for lasagne. It sounds complicated but is much easier than it sounds, particularly if you use a microwave for the cheese sauce. You can use any kind of minced meat - or vegetarian mince - and adapt the herbs to suit your family's tastes. For speed, use lasagne pasta that does not require any pre-cooking.

The same meat sauce is good by itself with spaghetti, topped with parmesan or grated cheddar cheese for a quick meal. Either way, it's good served with buttered french bread, or garlic bread, and mixed green salad or cooked vegetables.

If you particularly like cheese sauce, and don't mind the extra fat, make twice as much and then pour half of it over the second layer of meat. If you're cutting down on dairy products, you can use soya milk and goat's cheese, although you might want less of the cheese!

For a low-fat version of this meal, use half-fat cheese, low-fat chicken or vegetarian mince, and low-fat margarine. You can add in finely chopped peppers and/or carrots to increase nutritive value.

For a very quick version (although it won't taste as good), use a large jar of spaghetti sauce, lasagne pasta that does not require pre-cooking, and ready-made cheese sauce. Put together as described and top with grated cheese, then cook in the oven for the time recommended on the pasta packet.

Enchiladas

(serves about 4 people)

8 flour tortillas

1 tblsp olive oil

250g (1/2lb) minced beef or other ground meat
OR 150g frozen spinach, thawed and drained

400g can pinto or black beans, drained
OR equivalent cooked dried beans (any kind)

1-2 onions, chopped
2-3 clove garlic, crushed
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼-½ teaspoon chili powder
1 medium can (about 1 cup) tomato puree, fresh or processed
100g (4 oz) grated cheese (about 1 cup when grated)

Method:
Gently stir-fry the onions and garlic in the oil, until almost translucent. Add the chopped pepper with the cumin and chili powder, and stir for a minute, then add the mince, if used, and mix in over the heat until cooked.

Add in the beans and mix well, crushing a few of them, and then the spinach, if used. Simmer together for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until well-mixed without any extraneous liquid.

For each tortilla, put a generous heaped tablespoon of the mixture lengthways in the centre. Roll up and place in a greased or non-stick dish with the end of the roll at the bottom. Repeat for all the other tortillas, using up all the meat or spinach mixture. They should fit fairly tightly in the dish, so the enchiladas do not unroll.

Cover with the tomato puree or sauce, and then top with grated cheese. Put in a hot oven (about 180C) for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas heated thoroughly.

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If you do not want to use ready-made tortillas, you can make your own wheat tortilla wraps; they are a bit time-consuming, but worth the effort. If you make the dough before starting the enchiladas, you can then roll them while the meat or spinach mixture is simmering, and then remove that from the heat while you cook the tortillas.

There are many variations on this basic enchilada recipe. Adjust the chili powder to taste, of course. You can use cooked lentils in place of the mince or spinach if you prefer, or you can can add some tomato sauce into the cooked mixture. If you have some leftover bolognese or chili con carne, either meat-based or vegetarian, you can use those in place of the filling. If you have leftover vegetables in the fridge, they can mix in too.

You can make a simple tomato sauce by taking about 800g fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped, or the contents of two 400g cans of tomatoes, and simmering with a little chili powder and garlic until well reduced. At the other extreme, you could use a jar of ready-made pasta sauce instead of tomato puree over the enchiladas before topping with cheese. As with any recipe, it's best to adapt to your family's tastes, whatever they are.

This is good to serve with a green salad, sweetcorn and tzatsiki, or with stir-fried cabbage and peas.

Shepherds' Pie

(serves about four people)

500g (1lb) minced meat such as lamb or turkey, or veggie mince, or cooked lentils
1-2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried cinnamon
1 cup water
1 tsp marmite (for Brits; vegemite for Australians; ignore this for Americans!)
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tblsp brown sauce
1 medium can baked beans in tomato sauce
1 kg (2 lb) potatoes
milk for mashing

Method:
Peel the potatoes and chop into medium sized pieces, then boil until soft. Drain, then mash thoroughly, mixing in sufficient milk to make a smooth consistency.

While the potatoes are boiling, heat the mince in a pan with the onions, stirring until the mince is browned and the onions translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients, other than the baked beans, and stir gently until just boiling. Simmer until the liquid is reduced, then stir in the baked beans and put the mince mixture in a large ovenproof baking dish.

Top with the mashed potato, and run a fork over the top to smooth it down and leave a pattern. Place in a fairly hot oven and cook for at least half an hour or until the top of the potato is crispy. If you like it very brown, place under the grill (broiler) for a few minutes but watch it the whole time or it will burn.

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A warming meal for chilly winter evenings - this is a traditional British dish. Serve with peas and other vegetables, and lots of tomato ketchup! Technically, it should use lamb mince; the beef mince equivalent is really called Cottage Pie. But it can be made with chicken or turkey mince, or vegetarian mince such as the Linda McCartney variety, or lentils instead of any kind of mince. To make this for a vegan, use soya milk to mix the mashed potatoes.