Savory Keema Curry (Printable)

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

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 cororander
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

# Steps:

01 - Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.
02 - Add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and black pepper. Toast spices for 30 seconds.
04 - Add ground meat. Break up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 5–7 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomatoes and salt. Cook until tomatoes break down and oil begins to separate, 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 chopped cilantro. Stir and cook uncovered for 2 more minutes.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with extra cilantro and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ground meat absorbs all those gorgeous toasted spices in record time, giving you maximum flavor with minimum effort
  • The entire dish comes together in 45 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • The oil separating from the masala base is your signal that the onions and spices have cooked properly—rushing this step leaves you with a raw, harsh flavor
  • Adding garam masala at the end instead of with the other spices preserves its more delicate aromatic compounds
03 -
  • Grating your ginger on a microplane eliminates those fibrous strings that can ruin the texture of each bite
  • Letting the meat get slightly crispy in spots before adding liquid creates those delicious browned bits that deepen the overall flavor

Go Back