Cumin & cardamom masala brisket with mango-pickle mayo

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. In a small dry frying pan, toast the cumin and cardamom seeds for 1-2 minutes until they release their aromas. Add to a spice grinder with 1 tsp garam masala, the salt, onion granules and turmeric, then grind to a fine powder (or use a pestle and mortar). Add the sugar and mix well.

2. 2

   Put the beef into a deep roasting tin that’s just a little bigger than the meat. Place on top of a large baking tray to capture any spillages. Sprinkle the spice rub over the brisket, pressing down into the surface in a thick layer.

3. 3

   In a jug, whisk together the hot beef stock, mango chutney, mustard and gherkin liquid. Pour around the spiced brisket, submerging the base of the meat, but keeping the top dry to let it form a crust. Wrap tightly with foil, then cook in the oven for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, until tender. Check after 2 hours, adding a splash of extra stock if drying out. Check again after 3 hours, whisking the gravy in the bottom and adding a splash more stock if needed.

4. 4

   Mix the barbecue sauce with the remaining garam masala to make a glaze. Remove the brisket from the oven, take off the foil, whisk the juice at the bottom, then pour the glaze over the spice-crusted surface of the brisket.

5. 5

   Put the brisket back in the oven without the foil for 15 minutes to finish cooking, or remove from the tin (reserve the gravy and keep it warm), cook over the white embers on a barbecue for 8-10 minutes, then return to the tin with the gravy.

6. 6

   Make the mango-pickle mayo. Finely chop the gherkins, then mix with the mayonnaise and mango chutney. Serve the brisket thinly sliced with the gravy from the roasting tin and the mango-pickle mayo on the side. Delicious stuffed into warm bao, or toasted mini naans with green leaves, if liked.