Savory Keema Curry (Printer-friendly)

Aromatic ground meat with warming spices, tomatoes, and peas—ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs ground lamb or beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
06 - 1 cup frozen green peas
07 - 2 green chilies, finely chopped

→ Spices

08 - 1½ tsp ground cumin
09 - 1½ tsp ground coriander
10 - 1 tsp garam masala
11 - ½ tsp turmeric powder
12 - ½ tsp chili powder
13 - 1 tsp salt
14 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Pantry

15 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
16 - ¼ cup water

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Lemon wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.
02 - Add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and black pepper. Toast for 30 seconds.
04 - Add ground meat. Break up with spoon and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomatoes and salt. Cook until tomatoes break down and oil separates, about 5 minutes.
06 - Add water and frozen peas. Mix well.
07 - Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - Uncover, sprinkle garam masala and cilantro. Stir and cook 2 more minutes. Serve hot with extra cilantro and lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dinner that makes people linger at the table longer than usual
  • The spices bloom together in a way that feels like youve been cooking this dish for decades
02 -
  • Resist the urge to rush the onion caramelization step because that depth of flavor is impossible to add later
  • Letting the oil separate at the end is actually a good sign it means your spices have properly bloomed and the flavors have developed fully
03 -
  • If the mixture looks too dry during simmering, add another splash of water rather than cutting the cooking time short
  • Squeezing fresh lemon over each portion right before eating is the secret weapon that makes all the flavors pop

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