Express Beef Madras

Super quick and easy, Beef Madras Curry is ready in just 20 minutes, yes seriously. Cooked in the Tefal Cook4Me. 

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Oh yes, we're seriously impressed with the Cook4Me Multi-Cooker from Tefal.

Having recently been asked if I'd like to review the Tefal Cook4Me Multicooker so of course, the answer was yes, please!

I wasn't really sure what to expect since I'd never had a multicooker before and wasn't quite sure how they worked.

So, armed with lots of questions as soon as it arrived I wanted to use it. I'll answer all of my questions and of course if you have any please leave a comment and I'll answer it.

Picture of Cook4Me supplied by Tefal since it's so shiny I found it almost impossible to take a picture that didn't show myself and my kitchen in it.

Does it really cook meals in super quick time and if so, are they just as tasty as you'd expect? Can someone that really isn't into cooking (such as Paul the husband) be able to use the Cook4Me to create a proper meal without any stress?

How does Cook4Me work and is it easy to use?

•  What kind of foods can you cook in it?

• Do the pre-programmed recipes actually work?

• Can you make up your own recipe?

• Is it easy to clean after use?

About Tefal Cook4Me and how it works

Cook4Me comes with 50 pre-programmed recipes and it guides you step by step to cook meals for 2 to 6 people.

With just the push of a button, you can cook a variety of meals in next to no time - great if you want to spend less time in the kitchen.

The pre-programmed recipes include Starter and Side dishes, Main dishes and desserts. I haven't tried any desserts as yet but will include one in another post. I have to try the Molten Chocolate Puddings, don't you think?

Five cooking settings allow you to pressure-cook, steam, brown, simmer, or reheat your meals. There's no need to stand watching it either as when the meal is ready, the cooker automatically switches to keep warm until it's time to eat.

The display menu is easy to read and understand

Ingredients, Recipes, Manual and Favourites. Selecting one of these takes you to the following: Meat and Chicken, Fish and Shellfish, and Rice and Cereals.

The 'OK' button is like a select button, you turn it to your chosen category. The arrow button is like a return button and takes you back to the last menu.

In a word, it's really simple to use. Yes tried and tested - Paul (the husband) actually made Chicken Tikka Masala all by himself - let me tell you that really is something!

What other kinds of foods can you cook

You can, of course, set it to cook a specific ingredient such as Rice, Quinoa, Bulgar Wheat, Apples, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Potatoes, Peas, and Spinach to name just a few.

Everything you want to cook the Cook4Me guides you as to how to cook it.

Do the pre-programmed recipes work?

I've used mine a good few times now and have found it really easy to look for a similar recipe and adapt it to your own recipe. 

So far I've cooked Chicken Tikka Masala, Beef Madras, Carrots and Cauliflower and every time the result has been perfect. The Chicken was really tender as was the meat in the Beef Madras.

Just follow the instructions on the screen. Select how many you are cooking for and it will display the recipe for you to follow.

Can you use a similar pre-programmed recipe in order to make your own?

Yes, you can, just find a recipe that's similar to what you want to cook and use your own ingredients rather than those suggested.

For example, there is a pre-programmed recipe for Sausage and Bean Stew. 

But since I didn't have all the ingredients to make it I chose to make a Sausage Casserole using a jar of shop-bought cooking sauce. It turned out just perfect and since this post is already getting quite long I'll include that in a later post.

What about Cleaning?

At first glance of the instructions, you could think that cleaning looks a bit of a bother, but that's only due to the fact that you have to remove the pressure valve and wash the drip tray.

Take it from me this honestly takes a couple of minutes in total to remove, clean, dry and reassemble.

The removable pot and steam basket are dishwasher compatible. The removable pot is non-stick and a doddle to wash by hand in sudsy water so I can't see the need to put it in the dishwasher.

All in All

Okay, at the time of writing this multi-cooker isn't cheap (RRP £249.99) although at the time of writing I see it's now £220.00 with that said I wonder if cheaper multicookers on the market would perform as well.

Cook4Me is available from Lakeland in-store and online - you can also buy it through Amazon too. I'd go as far as to say it really is worth investing in; especially if you work and have a family to feed. 

None of the recipes are tricky nor do they require many ingredients either.

It's easy to clean and easy to use. Also since recipes cook in extra quick time - it will, of course, save you money too.

Remember for the beef madras I used casserole steak/braising steak which usually requires cooking slowly for at least 3 hours took just 20 minutes in the Cook4Me; personally, I'd recommend this to anyone.

• 50 pre-programmed savoury and sweet dishes with a maximum of six ingredients

• Keeps food warm for up to 90 minutes after cooking

• Easy to clean - the ceramic- the coated bowl is non-stick, removable and dishwasher safe

• Input the ingredient and weight and it will automatically suggest the best way to cook your food

• 36.5 x 36.5 x 32cm H. Watts 1300 Capacity 6 litres

Disclaimer: I was given this multicooker for the purpose of this review. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.