A friend had sent me this recipe many moons ago, something her Mum used to make. The description of this meal struck a chord with many of us who were children and mothers in the 70s. Sometimes you take a mouthful of something and it feels so comforting because it brings back happy memories. Children of the noughties seem to enjoy this mixture as well! So make it and enjoy it and have a great time reminiscing about the best meals your Mum used to make when you were a child.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons plain all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp curry powder (more or less or even none depending on your taste)
500g cubed beef, I used blade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium brown onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cm bit of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 sticks of celery, washed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
400ml of water
1 cup of chopped cabbage
Scone topping ingredients:
1 cup of flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 cup grated cheese
2 tspns chopped basil or whatever herb
1 beaten egg in a small amount of milk
Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
Place the flour, salt, pepper and curry powder into a dish and rolled the cubed beef in it. Take a casserole dish that can be used on the stove top and then put into the oven and add the olive oil. Heat over a medium-high heat and once hot add the cubed meat in batches until it is browned. As a batch browns take it out of the dish and place in a bowl to one side. Once all the meat is browned add the onion to the dish and then the garlic and ginger and cook a couple of minutes until soft. Add the celery and carrot and fry for about 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, water and add back the beef. Heat the mix until it starts to simmer and at this point place it into the oven for for 1 hour.
After 1 hour of cooking remove and check that there is still enough liquid in the dish. If not add some more water and then stir the chopped cabbage into the beef mixture. Take the scone topping ingredients and mix until just combined. Pat the scone mixture out and place over the beef mixture and return to the oven for 20 -30 minutes until the scone topping is golden.
