DROOG'S BEEF or CHICKEN VINDALOO ================================ Serves 3 Adults (or more traditionally -- serves 1 man for 1 weekend) Ingrediants: 3 * Steaks, cut into small portions - not diced (400g / any cut) 2 * Large Onions (finely diced) 1 * Patak's Original Vindaloo & Cummin Cooking Sauce (283g) 1 * Tablespoon Maharajah's Choice Vindaloo Paste (optional) 1 * Tablespoon of Sugar 1 * Quarter or Half Teaspoon of Salt 1 * Jigger (not Jugger) of Vinegar 5 * Peeled tomatos (tinned tomatos are fine) 1 * Pack of Basmati Rice Also: Pickled Chillies (Indian), Mixed Pickles (Indian), Cardamom Seeds & Whole Cloves. For best results you should obtain the chillies and pickles from an Indian deli or restaurant. Optional: Hot Mango Pickle and Lime Pickle (usually available at supermarket delis). Preparation: Remove excess fat from the meat (can also use chicken pieces) and boil in 500ml of water for 1.5 to 2 hours. Some fat is OK as it will be broken down in the boiling water anyway. Once the meat is tender enough to be cut with a wooden spoon, seperate the meat from the water (don't throw the water away as we'll use this as stock later). Fry the meat in a deep pan with onions until brown. Add the small 283g tin Vindaloo Sauce. At this stage you can add 1 tablespoon of Maharajah's Choice Vindaloo Paste - this will add colour as well as flavour. Be careful not to use too much of the Maharajah's Choice because it make make the dish very salty (this may be fixed by adding some sugar and yogurt later). OK, at this stage the meat is being saturated with the flavour of the vindaloo (it may also seem to be very dry - but that's OK!). This will also clear the kitchen of any bothersome women who will usually experience throat irritations and laboured breathing at this stage. This is very good because it lets you get on with the job unhindered. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously. Add 4 or 5 pickled chillies (and some juice!), a tablespoon of the mixed pickles (don't forget a splatter of juice!), a tablespoon of sugar, one quarter teaspoon or one half a teaspoon of salt and a jigger of vinegar. Mix this together well and add about one cup of the stock that you saved earlier. Turn the heat down a touch and let it simmer slowly for 30 minutes (add stock as needed to get a good consistency - or add water if you run out of stock). If you'd like a livelier flavour you can also add some lime pickle or hot mango pickle at this time. Important: Don't let it boil dry, ffs! And don't go to the pub at this stage or else your whole neighborhood will be pissed at you for months. When I first made this, I made my own vindaloo paste from scratch -- BAD IDEA! It's very time consuming, fiddly and gives off such noxious fumes that you can literally scorch your throat unless you're cooking in a field somwhere. After it's been left to stew for a while, add the peeled tomatos (diced). Turn heat down again so that it's just simmering and leave for another 30 minutes. While you're waiting for that to mature, you prepare the rice. This is a traditional Indiann rice and it's VERY important that you make it this way to get the flavour right. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Cardamom seeds and 4-5 whole cloves to a pot of water and bring it to the boil. Once it starts to bubble add the Basmati rice. Boil until rice is cooked (read the pack for perfect rice). Serving: Serve rice on a platter (you may seperate a tablespoon and dye with saffron then mix back in with the rest - for a traditional look). Serve Vindaloo in seperate bowls or simply pour over rice for individual servings and optionally lightly stir through some yoghurt prior to serving. Also very nice when accompanied with Nan Bread, Pita or Lebanese Bread or popadoms. Small bowls of lime pickle and/or hot mango pickle can be served as condiments. Warning: This meal is fairly spicey. Yoghurt and sugar will help mellow it prior to serving. If you get into trouble when eating then it helps to have a big tall ice-cold Coke or glass of milk on hand. Never feed to small children or pregnant women (or small women and pregnant children -- if you're from Knottingley)