Tonight's Dinner...

[spiceyokooko]

Just finished scoffing this lot and very nice it was too!

At the top, Saffron Pilau rice, bottom left, Bombay Aloo, dry style, bottom middle Beef Madras, bottom right, fried Okra or Bhindi Bhaji. I know the Okra dish looks like it's burnt, but it isn't, the colour is coming from the heavy caramelisation of the onions which produced an very intense sweet spicy dish, quite lovely.

I could eat that lot again!

[Peripatetic Phil]

Looks quite nice, Spicey :  I think I could manage to eat that !
** Phil.

[fried]

I haven't used beef in a curry for a long time. Do you pre-cook it and if so, how?

[spiceyokooko]

Looks quite nice, Spicey :  I think I could manage to eat that !

Thanks Phil, I enjoyed eating it!

I thought it was perhaps time I showed a little of what I cook and eat rather than just talking about it.

I know everyone likes pictures.

I particularly liked the Okra dish as that's not a vegetable I cook very often, but I saw some fresh in Sainsbury's and thought I'd give it a whirl. I'll definitely be cooking that again.

[spiceyokooko]

I haven't used beef in a curry for a long time. Do you pre-cook it and if so, how?

Hi Fried

I did pre-cook it although it was already cooked! It was some leftover beef from Sunday lunch, which I just simmered in the base sauce I was going to use for about an hour, just to make it a little more tender as I can't stand beef that's hard and chewy.

It worked because it was lovely and tender.

[fried]

I might have to give that a try. I still have nightmares about the last beef balti I cooked

[spiceyokooko]

I might have to give that a try. I still have nightmares about the last beef balti I cooked

Why, what went wrong with it?

[fried]

I cooked a Balti from PC's balti book and I undercooked precooked the beef which was a cheap cut. I also used a GM that was very heavy on the cloves.

I remember chewing the pieces of beef for an eternity before risking swallowing them. At the time I lived in a flat with a roof just below the front windows and I used to give scraps to a crow that visited. I left a bit of the beef for him and I didn't see him again. It was more vindaloo strength, hope he was O.K.

[Gav Iscon]

.............. as I can't stand beef that's hard and chewy.

Whats Chewy done to upset you? Joking aside,that does look very nice especially the Bombay Aloo  and the Madras. I've never had Bhindi Bhaji for many moons as I seem to remember trying it after my veggie mate raved on about it and I didn't enjoy it. Perhaps its time for another shot as it sounds nice with the caramelised onions.

[spiceyokooko]

At the time I lived in a flat with a roof just below the front windows and I used to give scraps to a crow that visited. I left a bit of the beef for him and I didn't see him again. It was more vindaloo strength, hope he was O.K.

Oh dear, poor Crow!

I find that most red meats like lamb and beef need a fair amount of pre-cooking to tenderness particularly as you say on the cheaper cuts. I like mine falling apart, so frequently pre-cook them for anything between 1-2 hours and it's best to test a piece for tenderness rather than simply relying on timing. Just fish a piece out and see if it breaks apart when pushed with a spoon, if it does it's done, if it doesn't cook it some more.

Also, don't be afraid of using meat with fat on it or fat marbling, obviously cut away any large pieces of fat, but the fat marbling will break down separating the muscle fibres and adding to flavour. It's the fats in beef and lamb that add so much to its flavour. You can always scoop off any fat or oil if it produces too much, but bear in mind that's where a lot of the flavour is.

I've pretty much stopped using chicken breast chunks or very lean beef or lamb as I find they dry out too easily, get tough and lack flavour.