This reminds me a bit of Hamburger Helper, if Hamburger Helper had flavours other than salty. Rather than ground beef and pasta, it's ground beef and potatoes, but it's a similar idea. We served it with a simple Indian bell pepper and pea curry to add a little veg to the meal. I think it would probably also be good with some peas stirred right into the pan during cooking.

The author actually lists a spicy variant of this recipe from Rakhine. It adds minced galangal and several fresh green chilies. I think I'd like that version even better, but I refrained from using those additions because I figured it would make the Kidlet sad. (Also, I was all out of galangal.)

Duguid also notes that this is a very flexible dish. She mentions that it takes well to having mushrooms added along with the meat. It can calso be made with ground lamb or goat instead of beef. (Personally, I'd be tempted to try chunks of bone-in stewing goat as well.) And she said that adding cubes of eggplant either in addition to or instead of the potato makes for a pleasant dish as well. So, basically, keep the spices the same, but use whatever meat, starch, and/or veg you have and feel free to experiment and change it up!

Saucy Spiced Meat and Potatoes

Slightly adapted from Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Ingredients

• 450g lean ground beef
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 Tbsp. minced galangal (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. peanut (or other neutral) oil
• 1/4 c. minced shallot or 1 small red onion, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 450g potatoes, cut into 2-3cm cubes
• 1-2 c. water
• 3 fresh green Thai chilies, halved lengthwise
• 1 c. diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground (optional)

Directions

1. Mix salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and galangal (if using) into beef, cover, and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
2. Heat oil over medium heat¹.
3. Add shallot and ginger and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
4. Add potatoes and cook until lightly browned (~5 minutes).
5. Raise heat to medium-high and add 1 c. water² and chilies (if using), cover, and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just shy of being tender (~10 minutes).
7. Add the meat mixtures along with another 1/2 c. of water if it seems to need it.
8. Stir in the tomatoes and chili powder.
9. Add a little more water if you like a thinner sauce or if the pan is getting dry.
10. Simmer, uncovered, until meat is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
11. Stir in black pepper (if using) and adjust seasoning to taste.
12. Serve with salad and/or a vegetable side.

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¹ Either a wok or a skillet will work for this recipe. That said, having now cooked it once in a skillet, I do think a wok would be the better tool for the job. Next time I'll definitely make it in a wok. ^Back
2 I added the full 2 c. of water at this point because I was using a large skillet and 1 c. wasn't enough to cover the potatoes. The large surface area also meant the water boiled off relatively quickly. And, because I was waiting on another curry to finish cooking, I ended up leaving it on low for quite a while after it was done. All this meant that even with the full 2 c. of water, the sauce was quite thick by the time it was done. If you're using a wok or don't need to hold it on the heat after cooking, then 1 c. may be all the water you need. ^Back