Chop onion and garlic.Then, dissolve beef cube in a 1/4 pt/150ml of boiling water. Put minced beef/lamb in dry frying pan. There is sufficient fat in mince for frying. Cook for 20-25 minutes over a low heat until well browned, stirring all the time.
Heat the oil in a pan and slice the chicken into small pieces. Add the garlic, onion and chicken to the pan When the chicken is no longer pink, add the tomatoes, curry paste and apricots checking the taste. Add the water and leave to simmer.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. .Cut meat into one-inch pieces. Fry the meat, onion and garlic over a low heat until the meat is brown on all sides. Then place in a casserole dish. Add flour and curry powder to the juices remaining in the pan.
Pastirma, a kind of Turkish cured meat, is a delicacy with a wonderful flavour. It roots from "bastirma" which means "being pressed" in Turkish as pressure is a crucial step in the preparation of it. Pastirma is covered and cured in a thick spicy paste called "cemen", which is prepared with cumin, fenugreek seeds, garlic and hot paprika.
