Dum Ka Keema Smoked Ground Beef

Dum ka keema is a traditional Hyderabadi recipe made with the ground meat of your choice. The raw meat is marinated with caramelized onions, ginger and garlic paste, whole ground spices, and a mix of tenderizers. With its unique taste and texture, this ground beef becomes even more delectable after it’s smoked. If you’re a fan of ground beef recipes, you’ll love this and will also want to try my aloo keema, tawa fry beef keema, seekh kebab, and shami kabab recipes.

Why you’ll love dum ka keema

You’ll love the smoky taste - This is truly the best part about this recipe and what sets it apart from other keema recipes. Try the recipe, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Make-ahead recipe - Dum ka keema can easily be made ahead. Just warm it in the microwave and serve it with cilantro raita, green coconut chutney, or cilantro mint chutney and your favorite flatbread. Easy to bulk - Doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling the recipe doesn’t require extra effort, making it great for feeding a crowd. Great leftovers - This recipe tastes even better the next day. Make it for dinner and enjoy the leftovers for breakfast, brunch, or a lunch sandwich.

Ingredient notes

Ground beef - I use lean beef for this recipe and add the necessary fat through the other ingredients. Ground beef with fat can taste chewy and lacks the fine texture this recipe needs. Gram flour - This adds flavor, helps bind the meat mixture, and absorbs all excess liquid from the beef while it marinates. Poppy seeds - These work like gram flour and have a delicious nutty flavor. I like to combine the two for best results. Kiwi - My go-to meat tenderizer because it’s accessible and works well. Yogurt - Full-fat plain yogurt is a meat tenderizer and helps keep the meat moist. Spices - To make this ground beef, you’ll need only easy-to-source spices, such as garam masala, red chili powder, Kashmiri powder, salt, cumin powder, and coriander powder.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.

Substitutions & variations

Use a different meat tenderizer - Use 1 tablespoon of raw papaya paste or 1 teaspoon of meat tenderizer per pound of ground beef. Use storebought pre-fried onions - Use pre-fried onions to save a little time and trouble. These can be crushed by hand and added to the mixture. Use a different ground meat - Use ground lamb, mutton, or chicken for this recipe. Use a pre-made spice blend - For convenience, Use a store-bought spice blend, especially if you plan to make this on repeat.

Step-by-step instructions

First step - Mix the browned onion paste, ginger garlic paste, kiwi paste, toasted gram flour and poppy seeds, spices, yogurt, and cooking oil. Second step - Mix this marinade with the ground beef, kneading with your hands until you have a homogenous mixture. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight for best results. Third step - After marinating, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and add the ground beef. Break the meat up with a spoon to distribute it evenly over Fourth step - As the meat releases water, it will become crumbly, as pictured above. Now, you must roast it on high heat for 10 minutes to brown it.

Fifth step - I have a gas stove and heat my coal directly on the burner. If this is not an option for you, use a blowtorch. I start heating my coal when I start cooking my ground beef, as it takes 10-15 minutes for it to be well-lit. Sixth step - Make a well in the center of the ground beef and place a small bowl (metal or glass) in it. Add the lit piece of charcoal and drizzle a small amount of cooking oil. It should start to smoke immediately. Seventh step - Cover the cooking pot to trap the smoke in. Eighth step - After 10 minutes, uncover, remove the container with the coal and oil, and cover the beef till you’re ready to serve it.