Beef rice curry

Braising steak or chuck has enough connective tissue to become tender in a slow-cooked curry. Brown the pieces, then simmer gently in the sauce for about 1½–2 hours, until they’re easy to cut with a fork.

Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. For separate, fluffy grains, simmer covered with about 1½ parts water to 1 part rice for 10–12 minutes, then take it off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes.

The Food Standards Agency advises cooling cooked rice quickly, ideally within an hour, and keeping it in the fridge for no more than a day. Reheat it only once, until steaming hot throughout.

Yes. Cool it quickly, divide it into portions and freeze as soon as possible; rice is best cooled and frozen within an hour of cooking. Defrost in the fridge and reheat once until steaming hot throughout.

Cucumber raita, mango chutney or a spoonful of lime pickle are familiar curry-night accompaniments in the UK. You could add naan or chapati too, though the dish already includes rice.

Yes. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and stir it into the curry sauce near the end, just long enough to heat through; prolonged simmering can make cooked beef tough and dry.

Beef rice curry is cooked with a spiced sauce, while a beef and rice stir-fry is typically cooked quickly in a hot pan and has less sauce. Choose the stir-fry when you want a faster, less stew-like dish.