How to make 3 meals out of 1 batch of mince

If you're cooking up a batch of mince you can easily create enough food to last you three days (so long, obviously, as you don't scoff the lot in one sitting). The best way is to make a basic bolognese sauce which can be eaten with spaghetti then converted into two other dishes the following nights (saves fuel, relieves boredom . . . )

Here are two other ways of using the basic sauce:

To make chilli con carne

You need half a pepper, a tin of red kidney beans and some mild chilli powder

Cut the pepper into small pieces. Heat a small frying pan, add a little oil (about 1 tbsp) and  fry the pepper for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften. Add a teaspoon of mild chilli powder and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin if you have some and stir. Mix in a quarter to a third of the basic bolognese. Drain a 400g can of red kidney beans and rinse the beans under cold running water. Add half the beans to the mince. (Save the remainder for a salad) Add 2 tbsp water, stir, and heat through until boiling. Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve on its own or with boiled rice

To make keema (spicy mince with peas)

You need some curry paste or powder and frozen peas. Fresh coriander is a good addition if you have some.

Take a quarter to a third of the bolognese mixture and put it in a small saucepan. Fill a mug half full of frozen peas, pour over boiling water, leave for a minute then drain the peas and add them to the mince. Add 1/2-1 tsp curry paste or powder, 2 tbsp of water and some chopped fresh coriander if you have some and heat through till boiling. Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with rice or naan and an onion or cucumber raita

Remember to cool down the original sauce completely and cover it before you store it in the fridge.