Keema Escondidinho with Cassava Mash (Brazilian × Indian)

Method

1. Peel the cassava, removing the pink layer, cut it into 5 cm chunks and put it in a 20 cm pot with cold water and some of the salt. Bring to the boil on high heat, then cook on medium heat for 25 min until a knife slides in easily. Drain and remove the woody core.

   Add in this stepCassava 400 gSalt ¼ tsp

   high heat→medium heat

2. While the cassava cooks, heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and cook the finely chopped onion for 6 min until golden brown at the edges. Well-browned onion gives the keema its sweetness and depth.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspOnion 1

   medium heat

3. Lower the heat to medium-low heat, add the chopped garlic, grated ginger, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and stir for 1 min until very fragrant. Keep stirring: ground spices burn quickly.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 2Fresh ginger 10 gGround cumin ½ tspGround turmeric ¼ tspKashmiri chilli powder (or paprika) ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

4. Turn the heat up to medium-high heat, add the beef and cook for 5 min, breaking it up with a spatula, until no pink remains. Add the chopped tomato and some of the salt, lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 min until the tomato melts, oil glistens at the edges and the mince is moist with almost no liquid. Stir in the peas and half the garam masala for the last 3 minutes.

   Add in this stepMinced beef 240 gTomato 1Salt 0.4 tspFrozen peas 80 gGaram masala ½ tsp

   medium-high heat→medium-low heat

5. Return the hot cassava to its pot with the butter, milk and remaining salt, mash until smooth, then stir over low heat for 3 min into a thick, glossy purée.

   Add in this stepButter 20 gMilk 80 mlSalt ¼ tsp

   low heat

6. Spread the keema in a 18×13 cm ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the remaining garam masala. Cover right to the edges with the cassava purée and scatter over the cheese.

   Add in this stepGaram masala ½ tspMozzarella, grated 60 g

7. Bake in the oven (oven) preheated to 200 °C for 18 min until the cheese is golden, then scatter with the chopped coriander and serve.

   Add in this stepFresh coriander, chopped 2 tbsp

   oven