6 hours ago
13
If I see the word keema on the menu, I’m sold. Literally translating to mince in Hindi and Urdu, as with many such everyday dishes that use inexpensive cuts of meat, it’s rarely much to look at, yet inevitably punches far above its weight in the flavour department. Prepared in many different and delicious ways, consider this basic recipe a good jumping-off point for further experimentation.
Prep 15 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 4
1 large red onion
4 large garlic cloves
1 small knob root ginger
2 green finger chillies
1½ tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp neutral oil
6 black peppercorns
1 black cardamom pod
3 green cardamom pods
1 small piece cinnamon stick
Fine sea salt
100g plain, thick wholemilk yoghurt
500g minced lamb, or mutton, preferably about 20% fat
½ tsp plain flour, or cornflour
5 tbsp fresh mint leaves (10g)
5 tbsp fresh coriander leaves and tender stems (20g)
100g frozen peas
1 A note on the mince
Keema can be made with any kind of mince – beef is often used by those who eat it – but I favour the richness of fatty lamb or mutton, whose flavour is distinctive enough to stand up to some fairly robust spicing. Non meat-eaters could substitute finely chopped vegetables (preferably including some mushrooms), firm tofu or soya mince.
2 Prep the alliums and ginger
Peel and finely chop the onion – a yellow or white kind will do, but the sweetness of red onion is a better substitute for the most common varieties found in the Indian subcontinent, and works particularly well with the intensely savoury lamb. Set this aside, then peel and crush or finely grate the garlic and ginger, keeping these together.
3 And the chilli
Deseed and finely chop one green chilli – ideally, use medium finger chillies here; if using a hotter type (eg, bird’s-eye), add only half the chopped fruit to the keema mix and serve the rest on the side. If you’re using a milder variety (taste it first, bearing in mind that the tip is always the least hot part), add a pinch of chilli or cayenne powder at the same time as the ground spices.
4 Toast the spices
Put a medium, wide and heavy-based pan on a medium-high heat and toast half a teaspoon each of the coriander and cumin seeds, until fragrant. Tip into a mortar or spice grinder and grind to a powder. Pour the oil into the empty pan and, once it’s hot, stir-fry the remaining whole spices until aromatic.
5 Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli
Turn down the heat to medium-low, then add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring fairly regularly, until soft and just starting to turn brown. Stir in the garlic, ginger and chopped chilli, and fry, stirring more regularly for another couple of minutes. Add the ground spices and fry for another minute.
6 Stir in the yoghurt
Turn the heat back up to medium-high, then stir in the yoghurt (a tip from the Dishoom cookbook, to help tenderise the meat and add richness to the gravy, so steer clear of anything low fat) and cook for a couple of minutes, until the dairy begins to separate and look unpromisingly grainy.
7 Add the mince and simmer
Split open the remaining finger chilli lengthways, then add it to the pot with the lamb and a teaspoon of salt. Turn down the heat and cook until the mince begins to release its juices. Sprinkle over the flour (anything else you might use to thicken a sauce will work here), stir to incorporate, then turn the heat right down and leave to cook for 20 minutes.
8 Add the fresh herbs and peas
Towards the end of the cooking time, strip the mint leaves from their stems and trim off and discard the coarse stem ends of the coriander. Finely chop the leaves and stir into the pan along with the peas. Fry gently for about another 15 minutes (the lamb mix shouldn’t be saucy, but do add a splash or two of water if it seems very dry), then taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
9 Serving suggestions
Keema is often paired with flatbreads, finely chopped onion and herbs, sliced fresh chillies and lime wedges, but it’s also very good in a buttered roll, with rice or as the meat element of a larger feast. It keeps for several days in the fridge and freezes well, too, though if you’re making it to freeze, add the peas and herbs only when reheating.
