TAHDIG E MAKARONI

❚ 500 g spaghetti

❚ Olive oil, for frying

❚ 1 large onion, very finely chopped

❚ 500 g ground beef

❚ 1 heaped tsp ground turmeric

❚ 1 heaped tsp garlic granules

❚ 140 g (3/4 cup) tomato paste

❚ 200 mL (1 cup) cold water

❚ 1 heaped tsp sugar

❚ 2 tbsp butter

❚ 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

❚ Sea salt flakes and black pepper

1. Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water, then drain again and set aside.

2. Place a large skillet over medium heat and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until beginning to brown, then add the ground beef and mix it with the onion. Stir in the turmeric, garlic granules, tomato paste, and a generous amount of salt and pepper (the mixture will need over-seasoning at this stage).

3. Increase the heat and cook until the meat browns, then add the cold water and sugar and mix well. Cook until most of the water has evaporated, stirring occasionally to stop it from sticking to the pan, then remove from the heat. Stir in the butter to create a glossy sauce, then set aside.

4. Place a nonstick saucepan over very low heat. If your pan isn't nonstick, first line the bottom with a square of nonstick parchment paper. Add the ghee and season with salt. Once the ghee has melted, pour in enough cold water to come 1 cm up the inside of the pan. Swirl the pan around to mix the ghee and water together. Add 2 handfuls of the cooked spaghetti to the pan to cover the bottom generously. Mix the remaining spaghetti with the meat sauce, then pour it all into the pan and cover with a lid. If using a gas stove, cook over the lowest flame for 1 hour. If using an electric/ induction stove, cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for a further 1 1/2 hours.

5. Once cooked, remove the lid, place a large platter over the pan, and carefully invert the makaroni onto it to serve. No accompaniment needed.

Serves: 6