Minced lamb browned hard, then simmered down with tomato, warm spices and frozen peas until everything clings together. A weeknight curry that comes in around 45 minutes.
Prep
15 mins
Cook
35 mins
Servings
4
Per serving
£2.13
Difficulty
easy
Most keema recipes tell you to soften the mince. Do the opposite: get real colour on it first, breaking it up only after it has crusted on one side. Crushing half the peas before they go in gives the finished dish a sweeter, slightly thicker body.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the lamb mince in one layer and leave it completely alone for 4 minutes so it crusts.
Break the mince up with a wooden spoon and continue frying for 5 minutes until well browned. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
If your mince is very lean there may be no rendered fat left. Add another splash of oil before the onions go in.
Lower the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds and crushed cardamom pods to the fat in the pan. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes until soft and browning. Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chillies and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the tomato purée, ground coriander and turmeric and stir for 1 minute, then add the tinned tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes until thick.
Return the mince with the remaining salt and 150ml water. Simmer, part-covered, for 15 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat.
Crush half the frozen peas roughly with the flat of a knife, then add all the peas to the pan and cook for 4 minutes until hot through.
Stir in the garam masala, taste for salt and finish with plenty of chopped coriander.