Dietary beef stroganoff with yogurt

We put the rice to boil. Cover with a lid and first cook on high heat until it boils, then on medium heat until it absorbs all the water. Once the rice is fluffy, turn off the stove, place spinach leaves on top of the rice in the pot and cover with a lid until serving.

Next is the beef stroganoff. We chop two heads of red onion and about a third of a jar of pickled cucumbers (about 8 if they are small). Both should be sliced thinly. Ideally, use a food processor or grater. If neither is available, a knife can be used, but it takes longer. We also add a small bunch of finely chopped cilantro, including the stems, not just the leaves. Generously drizzle everything with the brine from the cucumber jar.

We heat the pan. Add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, preferably olive oil. Squeeze two-thirds of the cucumber-onion-cilantro mixture by hand and throw it into the pan. Watch to prevent burning; the onion is thin and will fry quickly. Chop a whole pack of fresh mushrooms. It's better to make a mix of different ones; I used fresh oyster mushrooms — it turned out well. Don't chop the mushrooms too finely, then add them to the cucumbers and onions.

While everything is frying, we cut the beef into small but not too small pieces so it doesn't become tough. We season it well with salt, pepper, and sweet red paprika. Thyme leaves can also be added for a unique aroma.

Transfer the vegetables with mushrooms to a plate and place the meat in the same skillet (no need to add oil, we fry 'dry'). Sear it on both sides until it gets a characteristic color for just a few minutes; otherwise, it will become tough like shoe leather. There's no need to achieve full doneness. Next, pour brandy into the skillet (don't worry about using too much but don't overdo it) and ignite it. Be careful; the flame will be about half a meter high. Once the brandy burns off, return the vegetables with mushrooms to the skillet and pour in about two cups of unsweetened natural yogurt. Let the meat simmer for about five minutes. Don't overcook it; otherwise, all the sauce will evaporate.

We serve it on the table. For this, we place spinach with rice, beef stroganoff on a plate, and on top (remember, we left a third of the cucumber and onion salad) we decorate with vegetables.