Keema (Spiced Ground Meat) Recipe (2024)

Just made this. 4/5 imo. Will make again. Overall this is an excellent introduction to keema and Indian cooking.1. The onions caramelized way way way quicker than 25-30 minutes. It could be where I live, my stove, my land or a host of different reasons. Either way for me it took about 12 minutes. Just keep an eye on it. 2. Ginger was too strong for me. Next time I’ll put in 1” instead of 2”. 3. Very Silky. Added peas in the end for texture after tasting. It’s a traditional addition anyway.

I'll give this recipe a go as it sounds very tasty. As someone whose family is from India, I grew up eating keema regularly. I'd respectfully point out that in India and in most Indian households (as well as most Indian restaurants), this will not be made with beef but with lamb instead. Lamb gives it a completely different flavour to beef, and I speak as someone who eats both.

Cooking the garlic and ginger a little before blending makes for a more "rounded" flavor. Also speeds things up overall.

I stir fry beef on high until it's caramelized and the fat comes out.Then I add the mixture and cook as directed.I add potatoes also

For folks moving toward plant-based, this saucy and spicy recipe plays well with good quality fake ground meat. Only passably with regular tofu, IMHO.

Very good - but I love keema. Added a tsp of cumin seed and half tsp of turmeric when you add the garlic/ginger/green chile/tomatoes and let it bloom for a bit for a more authentic taste. Didn't have mint leaves but cilantro is always great. Try to get the beef to crisp up to really take it to a flavor overload. Oh and of course, never ever remove the seeds from a chile. It's Indian food! Live a little.

Made this last night and I wanted to lighten it up a bit so I reduced the oil to 2 tbsp and used 99% lean ground chicken. Otherwise I followed the recipe as written. It was still absolutely divine - 10/10 would make again. Served with garlic naan. I didn't find it to be too "gingery" as others had mentioned, but I also love ginger so maybe that's just me.

OMG, for something so simple this is wonderfully delicious. I think the key is to make sure that you simmer the beef mixture for the full 30 minutes, if not longer, in step 3. Resist the urge to add more salt until after it cooks down. Once the liquid is gone and the flavors are concentrated you won't be able to stop eating it. SO good!

Why does this recipe begin with a note on upper caste Hindu? It has absolutely nothing to do with the recipe and is a bizarre reference to a shameful system. No other recipes have references to the class of people that may or may not eat them, why is it pointed out here?

A Kenyan Indian chef I knew (in Dublin!) served the finished keema inside a baked, hollowed-out marrow (a squash related to zucchini)—not only delicious but an attractive presentation.

Yum! Loved this dish. I subbed in a can of tomato for the fresh and used a jalapeno for the green chile as that's what I had in my garden. I served this with a mint yogurt sauce from a Moroccan dish I had left over from last night. So good.

Beware: chile powder [multiple ingredients including powdered ancho chiles is not spicy hot] is not the same as powdered chile peppers, which this recipe likely calls for.

In response to nj: I read her reference to castes as a reminder to us that vegetarians are a minority in India, and that a large portion of that minority are Brahmins. I trust that this was an attempt to educate us about the culture, and not an approval of the caste system. After all, she was recommending a meat dish!

Made this with ground lamb, but otherwise exactly as instructed in the recipe. Fabulous! Accompanied with naan, using Meera Sodha recipe as translated by S. Sifton. Will definitely make again.

I made this as directed, with a little less chili pepper and hot pepper. We thought it was great. Onions cooked as directed, the mint and cilantro added the green. I cooked a vegetable on the side and served with naan. It was good, real good.

Terrific! If you want it a bit thicker, but still silky, add 2tbsp tomato pastes at end.

This was good and I’ll make it again. Followed instructions except for not using mint (not a fan). Next time I would brown the meat before adding the sauce. I made tzatziki sauce and served on naan.

Can dial up the spice. Maybe add some canned tomato or tomato paste broth to get more liquid. Added peas

I made this tonight and it was so yummy, I wanted to give it 5, but felt like it was lacking some punch! I probably under seasoned it to be on the cautious side so that was my bad, but I did add garam masala to the ground beef to increase the spice and also added grated carrot and peas to up the veg (peas are a non-negotiable in this recipe IMO) I would even squeeze some lime over the finished product next time but perhaps that is sacrilege

This was delicious and not even very difficult! I hate getting out my food processor and washing it after use and that was probably the hardest part. Not sure what happened to the person who said this didn’t have a lot of flavor - I would have to disagree. Will definitely make again!

Are the herbs that get stirred in whole? It doesn’t say to chop them that I can see but I’m inclined to do so because I don’t think my table-mates will eat them whole…

Admittedly I was slightly (substantially) heavy handed with the spices but I have no regrets. Added shelling beans while simmering and chopped kale towards the end and served on a fluffy little swoosh of homemade hummus with a side of flatbread. I know, not true to the recipe’s motherland at all, but my god was it a perfect fall dish to mop up.

My 16yr old daughter frequently requests this for dinner. I sometimes cheat, using canned tomatoes of various preparations, skipping the food processor part and using jarred ginger and chopping the chile quickly, and it turns out fine. I don’t get too precious. Heat some frozen veggies and toss it on a plate with naan and my teen is happy. And so am I. Love this recipe. Great, hearty meal!

Used Pork breakfast sausage (since I bought a half-hog and have a lot) - browned it after the onions, didn't use the food processor on the pepper/ginger/garlic/onions. Could use more than one jalepeno, and even more ginger. I also used about 2c. tomato puree instead of tomatoes

Serve with garlic naan. Add peas & potatoes

Just made this. 3/5. It's good but probably won't make again as we didn't like it enough to go to the trouble of getting out the food processor and cleaning it. Used organic ground beef which has very little fat, which maybe the dish needs. Added a bit of turmeric and cumin, as previously recommended. The turmeric may have made the dish too earthy. Fresh mint is essential! The photo shows a hefty dollop of yogurt, which might have kicked it up a notch.

Loved this dish. Used jalapeno and New Mexico red chile powder (local preference and readily available), otherwise loyal as written above. Well worth the patience required for simmering lower and slower until as described most liquid was gone. Enjoyed with the Charred Broccoli Rabe With Ajo Blanco Sauce By Nina Compton; and mopped it up with gorgeous garlic naan. Could easily see getting the sauce nearly complete, then subbing prawns for the beef making this lighter fare.

I started with about 1.5 lbs (raw weight) of fatty ground lamb, sautéed it separately and drained off the copious fat. I used very little oil to caramelize the onion. The result was delicious, silky, and not unpalatably fatty. I made sourdough flatbreads (unfed starter/flour/buttermilk/salt) to serve, and a quick raita of yogurt, onion, cucumber for a topping. A big hit!

My mom made keema after work weekdays in Boston in the 1960’s. Pound of frozen beef heated with oil in a pot, and the browned outer layer scraped off as the frozen lump was stirred in the pot by a responsible child. Garlic, onion, Durkee’s curry powder, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander and a little canned tomato paste was tempered in butter. Stir together, simmer briefly, salt, top with frozen peas, cover until done. With rice. Next day in Sandwiches! MMmmm! Use whatever you have.

made this with a no-meat "ground beef". I recommend not waiting until the end of cooking to add the garam masala. I would put it in while you are browning your meat (or meat substitute). I also had no mint leaves & used a dried sezuan pepper instead of a green chile. Also, used olive oil instead of canola/grapeseed. Overall, I would cook this again.