Madras Beef Curry

 



Ingredients:

• 600g gravy beef (chopped into large chunks)


• 4 small onions (cut into 1.5cm squares)


• 4 medium potatoes (cut into large chunks)


• 12 cups beef stock


• 2 tablespoons tomato paste


• olive oil


• curry powder

To make the curry powder:

• 1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes


• 2 tablespoons ground coriander


• 1 tablespoon ground cumin


• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns


• 3 cloves garlic


• juice of 2 lemons


• 2 teaspoons minced ginger (from the jar)


• 3 bay leaves

Put all ingredients into a Magic Bullet and whizz. My wife trained the dogs to enjoy the sound (instead of cowering) by giving them treats every time we use the Magic Bullet, so I always have the treats ready or they go crazy with anticipation! Or you can use a mortar and pestle but if you do this skip the bay leaves.

Method:

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pot and add onions. Cook until translucent but still firm. Put onions into a bowl for use a little later.


2. Add a splash of olive oil to the pot and add the beef. Brown the beef. Once the beef is brown, put it in a bowl for later.


3. Add a splash of olive oil to the pot and add the curry paste. Cook for one minute.


4. Add the beef, onions and potatoes to the curry paste and stir until all ingredients are covered with the paste.


5. Add the tomato paste and fry off.


6. Add the beef stock and bring to the boil.


7. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.


8. Serve with rice and condiments

Bad, bad, bad, BAD dessert recipe

[caption id="attachment_123" align="alignleft" width="300"] This is just wrong...[/caption]

This is one of those recipes that you shouldn't know about. But seeing I was craving one of the G-Spot's NASTY desserts, I thought this was OK!

Craving chocoloate cake, I found this recipe here and modified it as follows:

Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tbps plain flour

4 tbps caster sugar

2 tbps cocoa (I used drinking chocolate)

1 egg

3 tbps milk

3 tbps oil (I used peanut oil 'cause that was there)

Splash of vanilla extract (I used the good stuff!)

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at about 80% power for a typical Aussie nuker.

The cake might rise over the top of the mug, but it's nop big deal!

Allow to cool a little, and eat straight out of the cup!

Apple Pie

My wife called this attempt "Man Pie" because of the Planter's texture. But it was pretty bloody good :) I can't remember the details!



Here is the inside:

Tamarind & Orange Roast Duck with Warm Pear Salad

I'll add the details soon, but this is an adaption from a quite poorly recipe here: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/2703/tamarind+orange+roast+duck+with+warm+pear+salad.

This recipe probably hasn't been tried before, but anyway, I'll write up how I approached this soon...

Chicken Fricassée*

This is tonight's Chicken Fricassée brought to you by Mick's Kitchen!

I know I've tried this before in the pressure cooker, but I wanted to try out my new cast-iron pot. I saw this recipe in a magazine and just had to give it a bash. I've adapted it to local conditions and available ingredients, but it genuinely rocks! This is now one of my most favourite Canberra winter recipes, especially on nights like tonight when the temperature will be dropping to -4°C!!

Ingredients:

• 50g unsalted butter


• 2 tbsp olive oil


• 1 leek, sliced


• Handful fresh sprigs thyme


• 3 bug handfuls of mushrooms, quartered


• 3 cloves garlic


• 1/4 cup Napoleon brandy


• 700g chicken thigh fillets, chopped


• 2 tbsp plain flour


• 3 cups chicken stock


• 2 big handfuls of baby Désirée potatoes, quartered


• 2 big handfuls of fresh green beans, cut off the stalk end and halve


• 1/2 cup Bulla thickened cooking light cream & 1 egg yolk


• Salt & pepper to taste (add while cooking is best)

Method:

1. In a cast-iron pot, gently heat half the butter and olive oil and then add the leek and thyme for about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a further 6 minutes. Add salt & pepper then add brandy and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl.


2. Return pot to a high-heat and add the rest of the oil and butter. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes until brown on all sides.  Add flour, salt & pepper and fry off the flour and cook while stirring for a further two minutes.


3. Add the chicken stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer and return the leek and mushroom mix. Add potatoes. Cover the pot and cook for 12 minutes or until potatoes are almost cooked, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and cook uncovered for a further 5 minutes - don't over-cook the beans!


4. Whisk the cream and egg yolk together. Remove the fricassé from heat and leave to stand for a few minutes. Stir through cream and yolk mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Adapted from Real Living magazine, May 2011, p. 133