Lazy Weekend Meal | Sloppy Joe

Sloppy joes are an American favorite, made using ground beef, spices, and cheese. I first heard of them while watching an episode of Gourmet Central, a cooking show on NDTV Good Times. Googling the term brought up a lot of different variations of the sloppy joe - its just like having a burger without the hassle of making patties!

Instead of heaping the meat onto a burger bun, you can also use any crusty bread or make it into a rustic bruschetta.

Sloppy Joe (makes 4 burgers):

350 gms minced mutton or chicken

2 large onions

10 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 large tomatoes

1 large bell pepper (green)

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp oregano

2 tbsp sunflower, safflower or olive oil

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

4 burger buns (easily available at any bakery)

Salt to taste

In a large pan, heat oil and add the chopped onions and crushed garlic. When the onions become slightly translucent, add the minced mutton or chicken and salt. Cook covered for 15 minutes on a medium low heat. 

Add in the tomato ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and sliced tomatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes till the meat in tender. Once the meat is cooked, add in the bell pepper, crushed black pepper, chilli flakes, and oregano. Cook for 5 minutes.

Warm the burger buns on a hot pan, taking care not to brown them. Put the meat mixture on the bun, add grated cheese on top and some iceberg lettuce. Serve with fries, wafers or crisps.