Beef Patties With Thai-Style Sauce

I found the original recipe in a recipe booklet published by a supermarket chain. It's very basic and a good midweek main meal. I changed the recipe to my taste, as the original was too bland. Once you have the few ingredients at hand it's easy to make. It's also a good recipe to make ahead, as the flavours will definitely improve over a day or so. The original recipe suggested ground ostrich meat or chicken as a good alternative to beef. Most of our shops sell dried breadcrumbs, which is what I used.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• Patties

• 18  ounces ground beef (500 g. Or sub with ground chicken or ostrich)
• 1⁄2 cup spring onion, chopped (green onions)
• 1  tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
• 1  hot pepper, small, finely chopped (leave out seeds for a milder taste)
• 3  tablespoons  breadcrumbs, dried
• 1  teaspoon salt (level)
• 1  egg, beaten
• 2  tablespoons  oil (for frying)

• Sauce

• 2  tablespoons  oil (for frying, or less)
• 1⁄2 cup spring onion, chopped (green onions)
• 1  tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon ginger, fresh, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  hot pepper, finely chopped (use less (or more)
• 1  cup coconut milk (250 ml)
• 3  ounces peanuts, crushed (100g, or use cashews, roasted)
• 2  tablespoons soy sauce (30 ml)
• 1  teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. For the patties, start with the ground meat, then mix in the rest of the ingredients.
2. Turn round and round until well mixed. If the mixture is too dry (it should be just right) add a teaspoon or so of milk or water.
3. Form fairly small patties (you'll have 7 or 8), and fry in a little oil in a pan, over medium-to-low heat, turning once, until brown on both sides. Remove to an oven dish and keep pan on the hob.
4. For the sauce, add oil to the same pan (there won't be enough left over).
5. Add the spring onions, garlic, ginger, cumin and pepper to the hot oil, and stir briskly for about half a minute, just to bring out the flavour.
6. Add the coconut milk, stir in the soy sauce and sugar, and add the nuts of your choice.
7. Let it simmer briskly, while stirring, for a short while -- it should thicken.
8. Ladle the sauce over the patties, OR serve the sauce separately.
9. Serve with rice (brown basmati is nice) and an Asian-type green such as chopped, steamed pak choy or tatsai or Chinese cabbage, seasoned with soy sauce instead of salt.