Mid Week - Slow Cooked Beef with Rice and Cumin By "My Family's Food Diary"

Eleni from My Family's Food Diary has shared a spin on a classic Cypriot dish, Ttava lefkaritiko. It'll fill your kitchen with a sweet and flavoursome aroma. The rice breaks down completely as it soaks up all the spiced juices and the beef becomes super tender to bring you the ultimate comfort food.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1kg gravy beef, chopped in 3cm chunks
• 2 small onions, sliced
• 1 ½ cups (350g) white bio-dynamic rice
• 1 tin (400g) organic diced tomatoes
• 1 tbs organic tomato paste
• 1 small (120g) carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 small (150g) zucchini, chopped
• 1 medium (180g) potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbs cumin, ground
• ½ tsp cinnamon, ground
• 3 bay leaves, dried
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper, ground
• 3 ½ cups (875mL) water, warm

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 160˚C, fan forced.
2. Place a flameproof baking dish (24x24x6cm) on a medium to high heat with the extra virgin olive oil. Brown the meat on each side for 4-5 minutes.
3. In the meantime, wash and strain the rice very well. Remove the meat once browned and set aside.
4. Add the sliced onions and allow them to soften and slightly brown.
5. Once the onions are ready, add all the ingredients, including the meat you set aside, in the baking dish.
6. Mix well, cover with baking paper and then seal well with aluminium foil.
7. Place the baking dish in the oven for 2hours and 15min.
8. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10-15min before removing the foil.
9. Serve with a fresh salad, pickles and some yoghurt.

Notes: If you do not have a flameproof baking dish, use a large frying pan to brown the meat and soften the onions first. Then transfer the contents in a baking dish.