Keema curry recipe

With this quick and easy keema curry recipe, you won't be tempted to reach for the takeaway menu.

Keema – or in this instance, minced lamb – curry is a traditional, spiced curry of meat and peas in an aromatic sauce. The dish blends onion and tomato with cumin, cassia, cardamom and coriander to create a dish packed with flavour. At 98p per serving, this is an affordable weeknight dinner which is great served with Peshwari naan (opens in new tab) bread, pilau rice (opens in new tab) or homemade Bombay potatoes (opens in new tab). If you love spice, then you can increase the heat by adding extra chilli, or if you're cooking for little ones then you can cut it out entirely.

Ingredients

• 2tsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic, crushed
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 1tbsp garam masala
• 1tsp each ground cumin, coriander
• Pinch turmeric
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
• 500g lamb mince
• 100g petits pois or garden peas
• Small handful fresh coriander

Method

1. Heat a pan with 1tsp of the oil and gently cook the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and spices for 10-12 mins, until softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5-6 mins. Tip into a blender and whizz until smooth.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and fry the lamb mince over a high heat, breaking up as you cook to prevent big lumps. Reduce the heat, then pour over the spice mix and simmer, covered, for 15 mins.
3. Add the peas for the final 5 mins. Top with fresh coriander and serve with steamed basmati rice, naan bread and mango chutney.

Top tip for making this keema curry recipe

If you don’t have all the individual spices, use 1 tbsp garam masala or 1 tbsp mild curry paste or powder according to taste.

What does keema mean?

Keema means minced meat in Urdu. Usually, when you see keema on your typical Indian takeaway menu in Britain, it will be referring to minced lamb or mutton. But it can also be used to describe goat meat or even beef, so it's worth checking.

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