Keema Matar
قیمہ مٹر
Keema matar is a quick, homely dish that shows up in lunch boxes, on weeknight tables and folded into parathas the next morning. Beef mince is fried in a until it loses all its water and browns, then cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices and finished with sweet green peas. This is the dry style: no gravy, just a thick, glossy masala, which comes from cooking the mince long enough before the tomatoes go in.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 45 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the oil in a over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and, once they crackle, the onions. Fry for 6–8 minutes until soft and just turning golden.
Turn the heat to high and add the mince with the ginger and garlic paste. Break it up with the back of the spoon and fry for 10–12 minutes, until all the water it releases has dried up and the mince is browned and separate.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Do the on medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, pressing the tomatoes into the mince, until they melt. Stir in the yogurt and fry 2 more minutes until the oil separates.
Pour in the hot water, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, until the mince is tender.
Add the peas and stir. Cover again and cook for 6–8 minutes for fresh peas, 3–4 for frozen, until they are soft but still bright green.
Uncover, turn the heat up and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until any liquid is gone and the masala coats the mince and peas. Sprinkle in the garam masala and green chilies.
Turn off the heat, scatter over the ginger strips and coriander, and serve with hot roti, naan or paratha.
Kitchen notes
The step that makes or breaks keema is drying out the mince before the tomatoes go in. If it is still sitting in its own water, keep frying; otherwise it tastes boiled, not browned.
Add the peas near the end. Cooked from the start, they turn grey and mushy.
Ask the butcher to mince the beef once, not twice. A coarser mince stays grainy and doesn't clump.
A weeknight favourite
Keema is one of the most versatile things in a Pakistani kitchen. With peas it becomes keema matar, a staple of school lunch boxes and quick dinners; leftovers get stuffed into parathas or naan the next morning. It cooks in under an hour and needs no special ingredients, which is why so many homes make it every week.
Cooking it dry
The defining step is frying the mince on high heat until its water evaporates. Raw mince releases a lot of liquid. If tomatoes and spices go in while it is still wet, the meat stews instead of browning and ends up grey and bland. Keep breaking it up and stirring until the pan is dry and the mince is separate and lightly browned; you will hear it start to sizzle again.
After that, the tomatoes and powdered spices get a proper , and a spoonful of yogurt rounds off the sharpness. A short covered cook softens the mince, then the lid comes off and the heat goes up to dry everything out again, so the masala clings to the meat and peas instead of pooling at the bottom.
Variations
- Aloo keema: swap the peas for 2 diced potatoes, added with the water.
- Keema shimla mirch: add a diced green capsicum in the last 5 minutes.
- Hari mirch keema: leave out the peas and add 8–10 slit green chilies for a hot, simple version.
Storing and serving
Keema matar keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 2 months. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water. Serve with roti, naan or paratha, or with plain rice and a bowl of daal.
Questions people ask
Can I use mutton or chicken mince?
Yes. Mutton mince cooks the same way. Chicken mince cooks faster, so cut the covered cooking to 6–8 minutes and add the peas sooner.
Why does my keema smell of meat?
The mince wasn't fried long enough on high heat, or the ginger and garlic were too little. Brown it well until the water is gone, and don't skip the garam masala at the end.
Can I make it with gravy?
Yes. Add 1.5 cups of hot water instead of half a cup, and don't dry it out at the end. That version goes well with plain rice.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 440
- Protein
- 28 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
