Asian Chilli Beef

At least once a fortnight, I have the following conversation:

The Boy: "What's for dinner tonight, Charles?"
Me: "Whatever you fancy, cherub. There's some mince in the fridge, I could whip up something with that if you'd like? And stop calling me Charles, my name is Charlotte."
The Boy: "Oh, right. Spaghetti Bolognese it is."
Me: "What's wrong with with Spaghetti Bolognese? You love my Spaghetti Bolognese. It's still your favourite isn't it? You still like playing the 'guess the top secret ingredient' game, don't you? You were ever so close last time..."
The Boy: "Of course I do, Charles. Of course I do."

I have recently come to consider the idea that The Boy is not being totally honest with me. Back in the olden days when we first got together, the mere thought of Spag Bowl was enough to make him drool. Nowadays, he seems slightly less enthusiastic. Last week I decided to quite literally spice things up a little bit. As much as I adore a bowl of beefy, tomatoey ragu, I'm also a fan of change. And chillies.

A pack of lean mince beef took pride of place on my weekly shopping list as usual, but this time it would arrive on dinner plates in Asian Chilli Beef form. To make enough for two hungry tummys, you'll need:

500g lean mince beef

3 x garlic cloves, crushed

2.5cm chunk of ginger, finely grated

1 x green chilli

1 x red chilli

2 x tbsp caster sugar

1 x tbsp lemon grass paste/2 x tbsp grated fresh lemon grass

1 x lime, juiced

70ml soy sauce

50ml rice vinegar

A big handful of coriander

Olive oil for frying

First up, prep your ingredients. Crush the garlic, grate your lemongrass and chop your ginger. Finely slice your chillies and avoid poking yourself in the eye at all costs. It burns. Bad.

Sizzle your oil in a large hot pan. Throw in your mince and give it a good stir. Whilst it's still nice 'n' pink, add your lemon grass. Take a whiff, it smells good, right?

Leave it to brown for another 2-3 minutes before sprinkling in your garlic, half of your chopped chillies and the ginger mush. Give it a taste and season accordingly. When it's cooked through, add your sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and lime juice.

Pop the lid on your pan and leave it well alone for around twenty minutes. When your sauce has thickened slightly and your beef is dressed in a rich, caramelised goo, grubs up!

I served mine in lettuce wraps, but fluffy white rice or a jacket potato would be equally as delicious. Whatever you lay your chilli beef on, top it with chopped coriander and the rest of your chillies.

Wrap em up, grab a napkin and get down with yo' bad self.

The Boy was pleasantly surprised by my new supper time creation and even requested it go on regular rotation. Perhaps I had been stuck in a mince meat rut after all, but this was the perfect recipe to get out of it. Bolognese will always have a space in my heart (even if it is clogging the main artery) but perhaps it was time for a change.

If one of you lovely lot could remind me of this lesson in five years time, when I'm having the same fortnightly conversation with The Boy about my Asian Chilli Beef, that would be just lovely.