Most nights start the same way here: onions and garlic powder in the pan, a grated carrot cooked down, and a kilo of mince browned properly. What happens after that browning is where it gets interesting — the exact same base splits three ways into a slow Italian bolognese, a spiced taco filling, or a loaded tray of nachos. Learn the base once and you’ve effectively learned three dinners.

The Base

1. Brown onions with garlic powder until deeply golden — this takes longer than you’d think. Don’t rush it; this is where most of the flavour comes from.
2. Grate in a carrot and cook it down until it softens and mostly disappears into the pan.
3. Add the mince and brown it properly. Let it sit for a minute before stirring so it colours instead of just steaming.
4. From here, the base splits by spice profile alone — everything below uses this exact same start.

Three Ways to Take It From Here

Spagh=o9o
Tinned tomatoes, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and a long, slow simmer.

Tacos and Wraps →
Taco seasoning, a spoon of tomato paste, and a fridge full of toppings.

Nachos →
The same taco mince with refried beans stirred through, piled onto corn chips and cheese.