Gravy for mashed potatoes
Description
Universal sauce for salads and hot dishes. Cut the meat into small, evenly sized pieces. Uniform pieces will cook evenly, ensuring no undercooked or overcooked bits, thus preserving the dish's quality. Peel the onion and chop it finely (into small cubes). You can also cut the onion into half-rings, but then the sauce will look less attractive: the small meat pieces will appear too tiny compared to the long onion strips. Therefore, dicing is the optimal way to cut the onion for this dish. Wash the herbs under running water to remove any sand, dry them on paper towels, and finely chop. Heat a frying pan well, pour in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, and once hot, add the meat and sear it slightly. Then add the onion, salt, and spices, and cook over low heat, covered, for 5–7 minutes. Mix tomato paste with boiled water, whisk with a fork until smooth, and pour the tomato mixture into the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover, and continue simmering for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. A few minutes before the dish is ready, add the chopped herbs to the pan. Serve the meat sauce with potato or pasta side dishes.