Keema Curry Recipe | Pakistani Style Ground Beef
This Pakistani-style keema curry recipe is authentic, has a nuanced and balanced flavor, takes no fuss, and is prepared in just half an hour. The juicy and flavorful keema (ground beef) will always satisfy your appetite.
I often get obsessed with tangy beef recipes, and at that time, the best substitute was only the Keema curry. This is not something spicy or zesty, but the balanced flavors of ground beef (keema) give a real indulgence.
This is a super easy recipe, not like the endeavor of beef karahi or something like that. Plus, it takes less time to get prepared.
I’m a die-hard fan of this ground beef recipe because it doesn’t require any hard-to-come spices.
It is easy to use readily available ground spices like Turmeric Powder, Red Chili powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. And guess what? These are the only spices I need to whip up a delicious keema curry.
Why Will You Love Keema Curry (Ground Beef)?
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Subtle Taste: Each bite of this keema recipe introduces you to a new taste and flavor. The mix of umami and nuanced taste makes this dish so palatable.
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Easy To Prepare: Unlike the other complex beef recipes, the keema (Ground meat) doesn’t need extra spices or hard-to-find ingredients. Plus, making this curry is so breezy; it’s like a dump-and-go recipe.
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Versatile: Another positive aspect of this Pakistani cuisine is versatility. Add peas, potatoes, or capsicum to make keema matar more appealing.
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Nutritious: Undoubtedly, the Keema curry is a powerhouse of nutrients, including protein, quality fats, iron, and other health minerals. And you can add various kinds of vegetables for overpowering.
What Type Of Meat Do You Use For The Keema Curry Recipe?
Typically, we Pakistani people use beef, lamb, and goat meat for keema recipes. So, based on your preferences, you can opt for any of them.
However, I prefer beef over goat and lamb meat because it tastes more pleasant, it’s tender and juicy, and cooks more quickly than the other two options. Whereas if you use goat or lamb meat, it will give you a more gamey taste profile, which I dislike.
But the decision is entirely up to you; goat or lamb meat is an apt selection if you want a more robust and gamey taste. Meanwhile, if you want tender and succulent meat, then go for beef.
On top of that, I have found that in European countries, finding beef is a daunting endeavor, so if you’re in such a situation, feel free to use mutton.
Ingredients:
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Ground Meat: I’m using minced beef laden with fats, making it more juicy and soft. You can also use any other halal ground meat for the keema curry recipe.
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Onions: White onions are preferable, but you can also go for red or yellow onions. I have chopped the onions manually with a knife; you can speed up the process using a food processor.
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Oil: I’m using canola oil. You can opt for any cooking oil.
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Tomatoes: I’m using chopped tomatoes. A paste of tomatoes is also preferable as it releases more moisture in the pan to cook the keema. But don’t use the food processor; it will waste the water of tomatoes, and later, you have to add enough water to simmer the keema.
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Green Chilis: I will add serrano chilies with a more zesty and fiery flavor to make this Keema recipe more intense. Thai bird chilies or serrano chilies and green jalapeños are also convenient options.
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Potatoes: I’m incorporating some small pieces of potatoes to boost the nutritional value of this recipe. And the texture of keema with potatoes looks more tempting.
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Garlic Ginger: Use a mortar & pestle to grind the garlic and ginger. Both these ingredients yield an aromatic and elevate the flavors. Plus, I’m also using a knob of ginger for garnishing.
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Coriander: I’m using it just for garnishing; it looks so pretty on every dish and improves its texture.
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Green Onions: Green onions are easy to access; I’ve grown them in my backyard. The chopped green on the recipe makes it so cherished and elevates its look.
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Cumin: The first and foremost ingredient is the cumin powder, or you can also use it in seed form. It will bring an earthy flavor to curry.
Spices
- Ground Spices: The remaining ground spices include turmeric powder, red chili powder, dry coriander powder, mix masala (optional), and salt. I’m ignoring garam masala for this recipe.
How To Make Keema Curry
- Cook The Onions & Zeera:First, add the oil to the pan, heat it, and add cumin. At the initial stage, the cumin spreads its flavor in the oil, elevating the entire taste of the recipe. Now sauté the onions until golden brown.
- Add Garlic, Ginger, Spices, and Tomatoes: Toss the garlic ginger paste and chopped tomatoes in the pan. And sprinkle all the spices. I’ve also added a splash of water to diffuse the aroma and spread the flavor of spices. Plus, the water also prevents species from being burnt. Simmer it for 3 minutes on medium flame.
- Add Keema And Potatoes: Remove the lid, and include the keema (ground meat) and potatoes in the pan. Give it a gentle stir and close the lid for the next five minutes. Don’t screw up the flame in this step.
- Add Water: Check the condition of potatoes and keema, and add one cup of water to cook the stew well. Stir it and cover the pan for the next 15 minutes. Don’t forget to swirl the curry from time to time.
- Garnishing: Lastly, I’m adding chopped ginger, coriander, and green onions to the curry to make it more vibrant. And there we go, our palatable and soul-soothing ground beef curry is now ready to serve.
Nabeel’s Pro Tip
In the cooking department, my priority is to please my family with the taste of every recipe. That’s why I always opt for some distinct approaches to bring more soothing and authentic flavors to my recipe.
Last time, I gave butter a try, and it made the final taste more heartening. Parallel to butter, you can also use 2–3 tablespoons of yogurt to make keema more juicier and creamy.
To adjust the hues and balance the flavors, I used chili and soy sauce; these sauces also eliminate the odor of meat and make it more flavorful.
In addition to that, vinegar is another secret ingredient to complement the spices and bring a slightly acidic flavor.
FAQs
Variation Of Keema Recipe
Keema curry is a versatile recipe; you can make various additions to make the taste and texture more overpowering.
- Keema Matar: Peas are adored vegetables that perfectly match Keema curry. The last time I made the Keema matar recipe, the taste was refined and balanced. You can add peas in step 3 along with the keema.
- Keema Aloo: This time, I opted for potatoes, and they make a super robust combination with keema. Sauté the potatoes with keema and add extra water to cook the potatoes.
- Fried Keema: I love to savor fried keema for breakfast. This variation is a bit spicier, dry, and made with little water. We often make this keema variation on Eid and use a grill or taws.
What To Serve With Keema (Ground Beef Curry)?
After making this recipe, I initially wondered what to serve with it. The first must-have to serve with Keema is roti, naan, or chapati. You can also go with the rice; keema tastes so pleasant with white rice.
Don’t forget to prepare the mint chutney for extra spicy and tasty flavors. Rita or salad also pairs perfectly with the recipe.
In Pakistan and India, people even use keema in buns and bread to make sandwiches or meat burgers, and you can also try it as well.
More Keema Recipes
Keema Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 0.5 Kg Minced meat
- 1 Cup Oil
- 3 Tomatoes (Chopped)
- 1 Chopped onion
- 1 Potato
- 1 tbsp Garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Ginger paste
- A small ginger piece (For Garnishing)
- Green Onions (For Garnishing)
- Coriander (For Garnishing)
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Red Chili powder
- 1 tbsp Mix Masala
- 1 tbsp Dy Coriander powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin powder
- 2 – 3 Green Chilis
Instructions
- First, add oil to the pan and heat it. Now add cumin and onions to the oil and sauté onions until golden brown.
- Sauté garlic-ginger paste, tomatoes, and all ground spices. Add water to enhance aroma and prevent burning. Simmer for 3 minutes on medium flame.
- Add keema and potatoes to the pan. Gently stir, and cook for five minutes on medium flame. Avoid opening the lid.
- After five minutes, check potatoes and keema; if necessary, add half a cup of water. Stir, cover for 15 mins, and swirl the curry occasionally.
- Add chopped ginger, coriander, and green onions to enhance the curry's vibrancy. Your soul-soothing keema curry is ready.
