A fragrant Indian beef mince and pea curry built on deeply browned onions, whole spices and tomato, finished with garam masala, coriander and a squeeze of lemon.
The flavour comes from patience with the onions. Letting them cook down to a deep golden brown gives the curry its sweet, rich base, and blooming the whole spices in ghee first perfumes everything that follows.
It's mostly hands-off once the mince goes in, makes six generous serves and keeps beautifully, so it's just as good for lunches through the week.
2 cups basmati rice (uncooked), cooked to serve, or naan
Method
Bloom the whole spices:
Heat the ghee in a large heavy pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. Fry for 1 minute until the cumin seeds sizzle and everything smells fragrant.
Brown the onions:
Add the onions with a pinch of the salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown. Don't rush this step, since it builds the sweet base of the curry.
Add the aromatics:
Stir in the garlic, ginger and most of the green chillies, keeping a little chilli back for serving. Cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Toast the ground spices:
Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder. Stir for 30 seconds, adding a splash of water if they stick.
Cook down the tomatoes:
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring and mashing, until the mixture thickens and the oil starts to separate at the edges.
Brown the mince:
Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the beef mince, breaking it up well. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the moisture evaporates and the meat is browned.
Simmer:
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the yoghurt, the rest of the salt and the hot water. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick.
Add the peas:
Stir in the frozen peas and simmer for about 7 minutes until tender. The sauce should be thick and clinging to the mince, not soupy, so simmer uncovered for a few minutes if it's loose.
Finish and serve:
Turn off the heat and stir in the garam masala, most of the coriander and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the salt and chilli. Serve with basmati rice or naan, topped with the remaining coriander and green chilli.
Key Nutrients & Benefits
Beef mince brings plenty of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12, and peas add fibre, plant protein and vitamin C. Yoghurt adds calcium, while turmeric, ginger, garlic and fresh chilli round it out with their own aromatic compounds.
Approx. calories: about 580 kcal per serve
Smart Swaps & Variations
Lamb keema: lamb mince is the classic choice and works exactly the same way.
Leaner option: use chicken or turkey mince, and cut the simmering time to about 15 minutes.
Turn the heat up or down: add an extra green chilli for more heat, or leave them out and use paprika in place of the Kashmiri chilli for a mild, family-friendly pot.
Add more veg: stir in diced potato with the water, or a couple of handfuls of baby spinach with the peas.
Meal prep: keeps for 4 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 3 months. Freeze in portions without the rice.
