Want to add some spice into your life? Well, there are *many* ways of doing that 😉 but I am specifically talking about food here people! If you like it hot then check out this spicy recipe!

I was searching for a recipe for stewed mangoes today and I came across a recipe for a much more interesting dish – a stew *with* mangoes in it. I love ethnic food, and this recipe sounded equally soul-warming and delicious. Try it for yourself. I like to think of it as the Jamaican Boeuf Bourguignon but then again, I changed a lot of things about it to make it a bit more me! I think some fresh apples would also be a welcome addition to this also, paired with a little cinnamon. Once again, don’t be afraid to play with the spices – that’s half the fun of cooking!

Jamaican Beef and Mango Stew

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 TBSP curry powder
Dash of red pepper flakes or jerk seasoning to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1lb stewing beef, patted dry with paper towels
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28oz tin tomatoes or about 4 fresh
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 cup mango juice
2 just-ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 TBSP fresh thyme, chopped
long grain rice, cooked

Place the nutmeg, curry powder, pepper flakes and salt and freshly ground black pepper into a bowl and mix in chunks of beef. Coat meat evenly in the mixture. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan until smoking, then fry the meat for 1-2 minutes on all sides, or until golden-brown all over. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, pepper and garlic to the pan and fry for for 3-4 minutes, or until softened, then stir in the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Add the meat back into the pan along with the potato chunks and stock, then bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender. Stir in the juice, mangoes and thyme and cook for a further 4-5 minutes to heat through.

Serve the Jamaican stew alongside cooked long grain rice.