Keema Matar the Reliable Keema Curry

Introduction

Keema matar is really the ultimate comfort food, known for it’s robust flavours and versatility. You can make this with any mince meat. However, I tend to use lamb mince (lamb keema) or chicken mince (chicken keema). There is just something so comforting and reassuring about this curry, I loved eating this as a child (although sometimes I would pick out the peas), it was always gobbled down by me and my sister.

Keema Matar really is a hug in a bowl for all those who eat it. My mum who has become quite vegetarian in her recent years, will eat this dish due to the lovely mince texture of the meat.

This dish is certainly loved in my household, my children jump for joy when they hear we are having mince meat and peas for dinner. As a result, when I know I need a dinner they will eat quickly and happily, this is my go to meal!

Why I love keema matar

This dish is incredibly versatile and can be made with various types of meat, including beef, lamb, chicken, mutton or even a combination of meats. I have to say I prefer chicken, lamb and mutton. We have never been big beef eaters in the family. Beef tends to be reserved to beef burgers. Lamb would definitely be the most common type of meat to cook this dish with. However when I made this recipe with chicken mince, my husband was shocked, he couldn’t tell from the flavour or look of the dish that it was chicken. Another plus in my book!

I also love that this is curry is quite an easy dish to prepare, I love one pot recipes which this is. Less washing up is always a bonus, especially for those busy weeknights after work and when kids homework needs to be done. After the mince has been browned, the rest really takes care of itself with an occasional glance in here and there.

You could freeze this curry, it will keep for up to three months. It defrosts very well and is a great back up dish you can whip out when low on time. Let it defrost in the fridge and reheat on the hob (you may need to add a splash of water) or microwave before serving.

If you are making this dish for guests, it pairs well with any starter. Nothing jars with it. You could serve this dish with my tuna patties and also with chana chaat for a superb dinner.

Ingredient Tips

A secret ingredient to this dish is fenugreek/ methi leaves (fresh or dried). I love to add methi to my meat dishes, especially the lamb dishes. Methi just adds an additional layer of flavour. I also really like the aroma, it really is something else. It is easier to add in the form of dried methi leaves, however if you do have time to get fresh methi, make sure you do not add the stems, just add the green leaves. The stems will leave a more bitter taste to the curry.

I have used chicken mince in my pictures below. I like my keema curry quite dry, but you can leave it more saucy if you prefer. Add additional water for more sauce. If you have the time, let the keema marinate in the spices, garlic and ginger overnight. It will amplify the flavour of the mince, therefore making it a tastier keema curry.

I always add heaped teaspoons of garlic and ginger, especially in meant dishes. I really think the more the better! It just flavours meat beautifully, the three sing together.

Time saving tips

Like most of my curries, I will very often use a food processor to help to speed up the cutting time of onions, tomatoes, green chillies, garlic and ginger. It really does just save so much time, and it’s worth the extra washing up on these occasions.

See my video on Instagram or TikTok to see how to make this dish!

Ingredients

Time 1 hour

Feeds 4

• 500 grams of lamb mince
• 1.5 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic
• 1.5 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger
• 2 medium onions peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes chopped
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon of garam masasla
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 2 tablespoons kasuri methi/ fenugreek leaves (optional, alternatively you can also use fresh methi/fenugreek leaves for a stronger flavour)
• 100 grams of frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander chopped

Method for Keema Matar

1. Put the mince meat, garlic, ginger, chilli powder, salt, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, paprika and kasuri methi into a bowl, mix thoroughly. Then leave the meat mixture to one side (if possible this can be done overnight to let the flavours amplify).

2. Next, heat 4 tablespoons on rapeseed oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped onions and cook until golden brown.

3. Then you will need to add the mince and stir fry the meat for 10 minutes, on medium heat, until it is browned. Make sure you break up any lumps in the mince, specifically with the back of your spoon as you cook. This step will need quite a bit of attention to make sure the meat does not cook in clumps.

4. Next add the finely chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, stir for a further 3-4 minutes. The tomatoes will soften in this time.

5. Then add 500ml of water to the pan and bring to the boil. Cover with pan with the lid, turn the heat down and cook for 30 minutes (if cooking with chicken mince, reduce cooking time to 20 minutes). Meanwhile keep stirring at regular intervals to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan.

6. After 30 minutes, take the pan lid off and add the frozen peas. Stir through. You will need to cook the mince and peas for for another 7 minutes, or specifically until any excess water has dried up.

7. Finally, finish with the freshly chopped coriander and serve with chapatis!