Cooking for the Freezer..

Stephen_Leak

Bolognese sauce and Chilli con Carne are probably one of your "old stuffs", but I will be doing a batch of each tomorrow.

For something a little bit different, though, try this ...

KEEMA* CURRY

Serves 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS

200g of new potatoes
1 clove of garlic
1cm (½ inch) piece of fresh ginger
2 onions
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
250g of minced lamb or beef
200g (½ a 400g tin) of plum tomatoes**
1 teaspoon of garam masala
½ a teaspoon of turmeric
125ml of water
1 lamb or beef stock cube
50g of peas

METHOD

Wash and scrub the potatoes, and chop them into 1cm (½ inch) pieces. Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the ginger and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into a saucepan on a low heat. Put the chilli powder, garlic, ginger, mince, onions and potatoes into the pan. Cook for about 30 minutes until the mince is an even colour, with no pink bits. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Put the juice into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the chopped tomatoes into the bowl. Use half and save the other half.

Put the chopped tomatoes into the pan. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils. Add the garam masala and turmeric. Stir thoroughly.

Add the water, stock cube and peas. Stir thoroughly. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Put the lid on the saucepan and cook for 15 minutes. Check the water level from time to time and top up if it starts to dry out.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Lamb is more commonly used in India and Bangladesh. Beef is more commonly used in Pakistan. Use minced pork or turkey instead.

Both the peas and the potatoes are traditional ingredients. You can omit either, but not both. If you omit the potatoes, increase the quantity of mince and peas to compensate. Use fresh, frozen or tinned peas. Use tinned new potatoes.

The quantity of chilli powder above makes for a medium curry. For a hot one, increase this to 1½ teaspoons. For a mild one, add 100ml (½ a 200ml pot) of yoghurt 5 to 10 minutes before the end of cooking. Add ½ a teaspoon of mint sauce to the leftover yoghurt to make some mint raita.
　
* Keema is Hindi for minced meat and it sounds so much more exotic than ‘Minced Meat Curry’.

* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.

staceydaisy

Hi all im wondering if you can help me and give me some ideas

i want to make some batches of meals up for the when i cant be bothered days and then no more wavering the chip shop of take-aways
the problem is when i was in school they didnt teach us how to be good with money and the how to save money because everything was and still is all about convenience.

i know i can freeze

chilli
spag bol
lasagne
chicken curry
meat and tatie pie

Can i freeze tuna pasta bake

also anymore ideas would be good thanxs

bravobeastie

Casseroles and stews are easy to make in bulk and freeze well. I also cook leeks and freeze them for leek and cheese sauce and chips meals.

You could also layer some potatoes, onions, mushrooms and cover in a cheese sauce, cook it and freeze it

I'll keep thinking

Pink.

Hi staceydaisy,

Yes you can freeze tuna pasta bake. This thread will give you an idea of what you can freeze:

What foods can/can't you freeze?

And this one will give you some ideas of what others batch cook for the freezer:

Cooking for the Freezer..

I'll add your thread to the second link later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

renegade

How about;
Meat loaf, Tuna pasta bake,Meat pies,Shepherds pie, Sweet and Sour chicken, Paella, Macaroni Cheese, Moussaka, Chicken Fricassee.
Should keep you busy for a while.

staceydaisy

brilliant thread

stressed_mother_of_one

i have just been given a 7 drawer freezer and ive £150 for my birthday to use. i havent a lot of time to make meals tp fill it and i am not the greatest cook. please help.

tessie_bear

what sort of thing do u like to eat? are u planning to cook meals and store them ?...u could use it for reduced meat/veg etc...thats what i do...also in asda and sainsburys they are doing freezer stuff offers for £1...might be worth a look

Barneysmom

Don't do what I do though and get it all muddled up, try and be systematic about which stuff goes where?

i.e. Meat top shelves, then fish next one down, veg next one down etc and desserts/fruit on the bottom one.

Try and leave a bit of space to store any stews/chilli portions, it's easy to make an extra portion for the freezer to microwave at a later date.

The key is to keep track of everything that's in there, maybe get a small notebook.

Penelope_Penguin

stressed_mother_of_one wrote: »

i have just been given a 7 drawer freezer and ive £150 for my birthday to use. i havent a lot of time to make meals tp fill it and i am not the greatest cook. please help.

There are lots of ideas here - cooking for the freezer. I'll merge this thread later to keep ideas together.

Penny. x