Keema

Keema (Indian Spiced Minced Meat Stew)

A hearty North Indian minced meat stew layered with garlic, onions, potatoes and green chili, finished with warming whole spices. Serve with hot chapati or steamed basmati rice.

Prep

15 min

Cook

45 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) ground lamb or ground beef (or half-and-half), keema is traditionally made with minced goat or lamb; beef is a common modern substitute
• •300 g (10½ oz) potatoes, Yukon Gold or another waxy variety, peeled and diced into 1 cm cubes
• •200 g (1 medium) yellow onion, finely chopped
• •25 g (8–10 large cloves) garlic, crushed to a coarse paste
• •15 g (1 Tbsp (heaping)) fresh ginger, grated
• •2 g green chilies (Thai or serrano), slit lengthwise; adjust to taste
• •200 g (¾ cup plus 1 Tbsp) tomato, finely chopped, or 1 cup canned crushed tomato
• •120 ml (½ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt, whisked until smooth
• •60 ml (¼ cup) ghee or neutral oil
• •6 g (1 tsp) cumin seeds
• •6 g (1 tsp) coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• •3 g (½ tsp) turmeric powder
• •8 g (1 Tbsp) Kashmiri chili powder, for color and mild heat; substitute with 2 tsp paprika + ½ tsp cayenne
• •10 g (1½ tsp) garam masala, divided; use 1 tsp in the stew and ½ tsp to finish
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground coriander
• •3 g (½ tsp) salt, adjust to taste
• •20 g (½ cup) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• •10 g (¼ cup) fresh mint leaves, optional, for garnish
• •5 ml (1 tsp) fresh lemon juice, to finish

Steps

1. 1 Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering (about 190°C / 375°F). Add the cumin seeds and crushed coriander seeds; let them sizzle and turn fragrant, about 20–30 seconds.
2. 2 Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Do not rush this step; the color drives the stew's flavor.
3. 3 Stir in the garlic paste, grated ginger and slit green chilies. Cook for 60–90 seconds until the raw smell disappears and the aromatics smell toasty.
4. 4 Add the turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, ground coriander and ½ tsp of the garam masala. Stir for 20 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil.
5. 5 Add the ground meat. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring, until it loses all pink color and the moisture it releases has mostly evaporated, 8–10 minutes. The keema is safe to eat once the meat is fully browned and reaches an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F (use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part).
6. 6 Stir in the chopped tomato and cook until it breaks down into a thick sauce that coats the meat, 4–5 minutes.
7. 7 Add the diced potatoes and stir to coat. Pour in 200 ml (¾ cup) of water and season with the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15–18 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
8. 8 Whisk the yogurt in a small bowl. Stir it into the keema a few spoonfuls at a time over low heat to prevent curdling. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes to warm through.
9. 9 Sprinkle in the remaining 1 tsp garam masala and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt.
10. 10 Cover and rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and mint, and serve hot with chapati, roti, paratha or steamed basmati rice.