It is undoubtedly one of my favourite Indian meat curries from the days when I could not even spell the word keema. It took me a while to cook, click, and share this keema curry recipe on the blog. A couple of times I tried recreating my mother’s keema matar recipe but the striking flavours were missing from the curry. Though my vegan and vegetarian keema matar is superb. You must give it a try too! But finally after a lot of patience and practice, here is my authentic Punjabi-style mutton keema curry recipe with all the family secret tips which yields beyond gratifying results each time. You have to wait for the right time to add salt, the bright colour of roasted onion gives you the signal of doneness, succulent juices of the meat to release, these were the secret mantras which were missing from our earlier attempts to make the perfect keema curry.
Meat Marination
Marination tenderises the meat and allow the flavours to penetrate deep within the layer of fat. I prefer doing it a day before or overnight. For marinating the minced meat, you need:
Salt Turmeric Powder Ginger Garlic Paste Plain Curd or Yogurt Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
Combine minced meat, curd, salt, turmeric and chilli powder in a bowl. Mix nicely to coat meat with the marinade. Cover and keep in the refrigerator. Best overnight or atleast 30 minutes before making the curry.
Prep Work For Curry
Gather Ingredients: If using fresh peas, shell them and set aside. If using frozen peas, thaw them before use. Arrange all the spices, salt, and oil next to the cooking station. Finely chop the red onions. You can use food processor for the task. It gives perfectly minced onion for making the curry. Make Paste: Blend tomatoes, dried red chillies, ginger, and garlic to a smooth paste using 1 – 2 tablespoons of water. Equipment: I use my stovetop pressure cooker to make this keema curry. But you can make it in instant pot pressure cook mode without any hassle. I have shared a detailed delicious recipe in my cookbook – The 100 Best Curries for your Instant Pot.
How To Make Qeema Curry
Fry Onion and Meat:
Heat the mustard oil in a pressure cooker until it starts smoking. Add the whole spices. Sauté for 20 – 30 seconds until the spices become fragrant. Add the finely chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown and caramelized, stirring at regular intervals. This may take about 8-10 minutes over low heat.
Add the marinated minced meat. Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté the meat, breaking up any lumps with a spatula or spoon, until it’s evenly browned and cooked through. This takes 8 – 10 minutes. Soon you will notice that meat has started releasing its oil and juices.
Introduce the Tomato and Spices:
Reduce the heat to low. Add tomato paste prepared earlier along with green peas, salt, and spices. Stir well to combine. Saute over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes.
Pressure Cook:
Pour in about a cup of water, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Pressure Cook the keema curry over low heat for 2 whistles. Turn off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
Simmer and Season:
Add garam masala, green chillies and finely chopped coriander. Mix nicely. Allow the curry to simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld together. At this stage, add more salt or water as per the requirement.
Garnish the Keema Curry with fresh coriander leaves for a burst of freshness and aroma.
Serving Suggestion
Whether enjoyed as a weeknight dinner or served at festive gatherings, this keema recipe is sure to become a favourite. Whether enjoyed with fluffy basmati rice, warm naan, or crispy parathas, Keema Matar Curry promises to delight your taste buds and transport you to the bustling streets of India. The morsel of soft and pillowy naan or tandoori roti dipped in a delicious keema curry bursts with flavours in the mouth. You can serve Qeema with jeera rice, matar pulao, or any other Indian flatbread like roomali roti, or lachha paratha.
More Indian Curry Recipes
Paneer Curry Prawn Masala Butter Chicken Creamy Egg Curry Indian Chicken Curry Mughlai Chicken Korma Chicken Chettinad Masala
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