2. Vegetable Oil
3. Two onions
4. Four cloves of garlic
5. Three large, brown potatoes
6. Five carrots
7 Two cans tomato paste
8. Salt and Pepper (Use 'Tempero' if you have it - it's salt, pepper, and garlic crushed together. It's used in many Brazilian foods, and is useful in most cooking).
Slice or dice your onions and, half-way through the process, ignite a burner and place a large pot on it, with a thin layer of oil in it. Add your onions when they're ready, then dice the garlic and add them too. Add your salt and pepper, or tempero if you have it. Now, while those soften, slice and cube your roast, and then throw that in. You want the outsides of the pieces to brown, and soak up some of the flavor of the onion/garlic/spices in the pot.
Begin peeling and cubing your carrots and potatoes. Remember to stir the roast so all sides brown. Add the carrots and potatoes - don't add water just yet. Stir everything around and let it sear a little bit. After 3-5 minutes, if most of the meat looks browned, add your two cans of tomato paste and then fill the pot with water to about 4/5ths full.
Turn the heat up, get it to a boil, and let it cook down to desired thickness! Stew! It's very good, it's healthy, and it goes a long way on easy-to-find and cheap ingredients.
If I end up with spare vegetables such as green beans or asparagus, I'll often throw them in as well just for variety. And if you want more carrots or potatoes, have at it! They'll only add to the stew.
