Description
Keema matar is the Indian ground meat curry that hits the table faster than almost any other — spiced lamb mince with sweet green peas in a deeply savory tomato sauce. It is the kind of unpretentious weeknight dinner that Indian families have been making for generations, and it is better than most things that take three times as long to cook.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 7 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
- Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook 4 minutes until they break down into a paste. Stir in the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the water, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook uncovered for 5 minutes until the peas are heated through and the mixture is relatively dry.
- Finish with lemon juice and cilantro. Serve with roti, naan, or steamed rice.
Notes
- Break the lamb into very fine crumbles as it cooks — keema should have a mince-like texture, not large chunks.
- The dish should be fairly dry when finished, more like a thick ragù than a soupy curry. Let it cook uncovered at the end to reduce excess liquid.
- Ground beef works as a substitute, but lamb gives the dish its characteristic richness and pairs better with the warm spices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 710
- Fat: 28
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 95