SHOPPING LIST: Cooking Skills: Beef and Steak 2, Chapter 4 (Curries and Spiced Stews)

Chuck, braising steak or shin, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, mild curry powder, sweet paprika, caraway seeds, ground coriander, cumin and turmeric, smoked paprika, mild chilli flakes, lemongrass, a red pepper, tomato purée, tinned tomatoes, a tin of coconut milk, limes, brown sugar, low-salt beef stock, plain yogurt, soured cream, rice, ice cube trays, a heavy pan and a blender or food processor.

A mild beef curry (4 portions)
[ ] 700 g chuck or braising steak, in 3 cm cubes
[ ] 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
[ ] 2 onions, finely chopped
[ ] 3 garlic cloves, crushed
[ ] 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
[ ] 1 tbsp mild curry powder
[ ] 1 tbsp tomato purée
[ ] 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
[ ] 300 ml beef stock (low-salt) or water
[ ] 2 tbsp plain yogurt or coconut milk, to finish

A Hungarian-style goulash (4 to 6 portions)
[ ] 800 g chuck, in 3 cm cubes
[ ] 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
[ ] 2 onions, chopped
[ ] 2 garlic cloves, crushed
[ ] 2 tbsp sweet paprika
[ ] 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
[ ] 1 red pepper, diced
[ ] 2 tbsp tomato purée
[ ] 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
[ ] 400 ml beef stock (low-salt)
[ ] 4 tbsp soured cream, to serve

A make-ahead spice paste (8 portions)
[ ] 3 onions, roughly chopped
[ ] 6 garlic cloves
[ ] 5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
[ ] 2 tbsp ground coriander
[ ] 2 tbsp ground cumin
[ ] 1 tbsp ground turmeric
[ ] 1 tsp smoked paprika
[ ] 4 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
[ ] 1 tsp flaked sea salt

A beef rendang-style curry (4 to 6 portions)
[ ] 800 g chuck or shin, in 4 cm cubes
[ ] 4 cubes of spice paste (above)
[ ] 400 ml tin of coconut milk
[ ] 2 stalks of lemongrass, bruised
[ ] 1 tsp mild chilli flakes (to taste)
[ ] 2 tbsp lime juice
[ ] 1 tbsp brown sugar
[ ] 200 ml water
[ ] 1 pinch flaked sea salt

For the experiments
[ ] Cumin seeds
[ ] Chilli flakes
[ ] Extra beef (about 300 g)