I love a nice Malay mince and pea curry every now and then.

I very seldom make mince curry actually to tell you the truth, I very seldom keep mince in the freezer, unless it is to make burgers. My father is not a huge mince fan, he says it gives him indigestion and heart burn…. Strange seeing as burger don’t have that effect, but who am I to judge.

He just has to eat what I put out on the table and take an Eno afterwards.

I like to make a quick and easy meal on a Saturday. Saturday’s is that day of the week where time goes by in the blink of an eye. I get up even earlier on a Saturday so that everything gets made and done on time. To tell  you the truth, I don’t know about you, but my Saturdays go by faster than the week. From the moment I open my eyes, I am running from making breakfast, to getting a head start on lunch to errands to grocery shopping, to making a start on an evening snack, to baking Sundays tea time cake and still going to the dog park all before sun down. What I can I say, there is no rest for the wicked.

When it comes to Saturday lunch meals, it has to be quick and easy and fast to make. Read my lips, it has to be made in the time between breakfast and lunch which in my father’s world is 2 hours, from the time finishes eating at 9 till the time he walks back into the kitchen at 11. Trust me when I say this if he doesn’t see a pot on the stove his hungry goes up by a million and he will nibble like he has not been fed in decades.

He once told me, don’t stress and rush by something… ja right, come supper time there was still a meal that needed to be prepared. I hate weekends.

I came across this recipe in Aarti Paarti’s cook book and I was really excited to try it out. The recipe was very similar to that of my gran’s. This recipe also screamed to be served with roti and believe it or not I had some frozen ready rolled ones in the freezer. Of course the roti didn’t last long as soon as they were fried my uncle sniffed them from the other side of town and came rushing over and demanded that I pack the remaining 9 rotis in foil and give them to him. He can’t share roti at all.

The verdict, loved it, loved every single mince grain of it. Surprisingly enough no one suffered from heart burn or indigestion after this dish.

PS: I asked my dad 5 million times to buy me a bunch of coriander and he said he wouldn’t forget and when he came home for lunch guess what he forgot the coriander. Typical man behaviour I tell you.

Ingredients:

• 3 x Tbsp oil.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• 2 x tsp ginger garlic paste.
• 2 x tsp coriander powder.
• 1 x tsp paprika.
• ½ x tsp garam masala.
• ½ x tsp cumin powder.
• ½ x tsp cayenne pepper.
• 1 x pound beef mince.
• 2 x tomatoes, finely chopped.
• ¼ x cup water.
• Salt and pepper to season.
• ½ x cup frozen peas.
• 2 x tsp apple cider vinegar.
• ¼ x cup coriander, finely chopped.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pot.
• Add onions and saute till the onions are transparent.
• Add the spices, ginger garlic paste and stir to mix.
• Add the mince and mix allowing the mince to brown and breaking up any clumps that may form.
• Add in the tomatoes, water, salt and pepper and mix.
• Partially cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Add the peas, mix and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the vinegar and coriander and cook uncovered till all the water has been cooked off.