Bangladeshi-Style Beef Kofta Curry With Fragrant Rice

Boil half a kettle

Peel and finely chop half your brown onion[s]

Grate the remaining onion

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Slice half your green chilli[es] into rounds and finely chop the remaining

Add your beef mince and grated onion to a bowl with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, half the chopped garlic, half your ground coriander and half your garam masala (you'll use the rest later!)

Give everything a good mix up until thoroughly combined (clean hands is the best way!)

Divide into 3 per person and shape into meatballs

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the meatballs to the pan and cook for 2 min on each side or until browned

Once the meatballs have browned, transfer them to a plate and set aside, these will finish cooking in the sauce later

Reserve the pan

Whilst the meatballs are cooking, crush half your cardamom pods (you'll use the rest later!) open by squashing with the side of a knife

Discard the outer green pod[s]

Chop your tomato[es] finely

Dissolve your chicken stock mix and tomato paste in 120ml [160ml] [200ml] boiled water – this is your tomato stock

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat with a little drizzle of vegetable oil and once hot, add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until softened

Once softened, add the remaining chopped garlic with the remaining ground coriander, remaining garam masala, chopped green chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and cardamom seed[s]

Cook for 1-2 min further or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the chopped tomato and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to break down

Once broken down, add the tomato stock and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then return the browned meatballs to the pan and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your Bangladeshi-style beef kofta curry

Meanwhile, add your basmati rice with the remaining cardamom pod[s], your bay leaf[ves], a pinch of salt and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving – this is your fragrant rice