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About this recipe
Keema (or kheema) is an Indian-style curry where ground meat (usually ground lamb or goat) is cooked in an onion-tomato masala and spices along with green peas. Keema matar or keema curry is a classic dish from the Indian subcontinent and is a popular dish from North Indian cuisine. Most varieties of minced meats are suitable for this curry and the most popular ones are mutton keema (made using goat meat), chicken keema, and lamb kheema.
The word 'keema' can be used interchangeably for both the meat itself and the final dish. Keema matar is very versatile and can be served in so many ways. It pairs well with naan bread or rice. You can refer to it as the Indian version of chili where ground meat is cooked with spices.
Kheema matar is great for an easy weeknight dinner and when served with dinner rolls, it is popularly called kheema pav. This one-pot ground meat curry is ready in 30 minutes when made in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker and uses common Indian spices. Keema is perfect to make delicious meals that is loved by the whole family. Finish the meal with delicious mango kulfi, which is the Indian variation of mango ice cream.
Ingredients
Ground meat: You can use any type of ground meat for this recipe. I have used lamb.
Peas: Peas help balance the dish well. Use fresh or frozen green peas.
Ghee: Use ghee to make the best-tasting keema. This can be replaced with olive oil or any other cooking oil of your choice.
Aromatics: We need ginger, garlic, and onions. Red onions or brown onions work well here. You can use ginger-garlic paste instead of minced ginger and garlic.
Tomato puree: I used store-bought tomato puree for this recipe.
Spices: The whole spices we need are cumin seeds and bay leaves. The powdered spices we need are ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, red chili powder (or cayenne), and garam masala. Using Kashmiri chili powder adds a deep color to the curry while not making it too hot.
Other ingredients: Cilantro (coriander leaves) and green chilies. Adjust the green chilies as per your preference.
Step-by-step instructions
Set Instant Pot to saute mode and add ghee (or oil). Once it heats, add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Once the cumin seeds sizzle, add the onions, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, until they begin to turn golden brown (steps 1 and 2).
Add the tomato puree, ground coriander, ground cumin, chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes (steps 3 and 4).
Add the ground meat and mix well to break the mince into small pieces. Let the ground meat brown for about 2-3 minutes (steps 5 and 6).
Add ½ cup water. Add the green peas. Mix well and deglaze the pot. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set it to pressure cook mode on high pressure for 10 minutes (steps 7 and 8).
Do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release. Put the Instant Pot back in saute mode for 2-3 minutes for the excess moisture to dry. Add garam masala and fresh cilantro (steps 9 and 10).
Serve Instant Pot keema matar with rice or bread of your choice.
Useful tips
Use ghee for the best-tasting keema matar curry.
Kashmiri chili adds bright color while not making it too spicy.
I have used store-bought tomato puree which gives the curry a deep red color. This can also be replaced with homemade tomato puree. Alternatively, you can use tomato paste for the curry. Replace ½ cup of tomato puree in this recipe with ¼ cup tomato paste and ¼ cup water. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
In this recipe, I have used ground lamb. You can use any kind of ground meat like goat mince, ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken. For ground chicken, reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes as chicken keema needs less time. For other varieties of ground meat, the cooking time remains the same as mentioned in this recipe.
The keema curry thickens as it cools down. To reheat, add a small amount of water to adjust the consistency and simmer in a saucepan for a few minutes.
Keema muttar can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It also freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Drizzle some lemon juice or lime juice for that street-style touch.
Serving suggestions
Keema masala is very versatile and can be served with both rice and bread of your choice. I love how it can be used in so many ways and there are so many possibilities when it comes to serving keema masala. Serve it with cauliflower rice for a delicious keto meal.
Top it on pizzas or use them to make quesadillas and wraps. They can also be used to make an Indian-style sloppy joe. Serve them over a bed of spaghetti to enjoy Indian-style bolognese. You can also use them as a filling in samosas to make keema samosa.
I like to serve them with pav bread (dinner rolls). It is popularly called keema pav and is a popular street food in Mumbai.
Here are some classic Indian rice and bread recipes that can be paired with keema matar curry.
More Instant Pot recipes:
Butter chicken - Tender and juicy chicken in a mildly spiced creamy sauce, this murg makhani is a hearty and comforting curry that is so full of flavors. This easy recipe is tried and tested to give you restaurant-style butter chicken masala at home in less than 30 minutes.
Lamb curry - Moist and fork-tender lamb in a flavorful and aromatic masala base is perfect for cold winter nights. Pair it with rice and kachumber salad for the perfect curry night.
Home-style chicken curry - Home-style Indian chicken curry is an easy and delicious dish that is perfect for weeknights. Made using a handful of spices and basic pantry ingredients, it can be served with both steamed rice and roti.
Chicken vindaloo - Vindaloo is a delicious, flavorful, and spicy Portuguese-influenced Goan dish that is made by cooking marinating chicken in vindaloo masala paste. This is one of the most popular curries and is a part of restaurant menus but making it at home is easier than you think. You can replace chicken with lamb to make lamb vindaloo.
Bonus
This ground meat curry aka keema matar is:
- easy to make and delicious,
- versatile and can be served with pasta or dinner rolls,
- freezes well and is great for meal prep.
If you liked this recipe, please don't forget to give a 5-star rating and leave a comment below.
Recipe card
Keema Matar (Ground Meat Curry) - Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat (I have used ground lamb)
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced or finely chopped
- 1-2 green chili finely chopped
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 1 cup peas
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust as per taste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- ½ cup water
Spices:
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1½ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode and add ghee (or oil). Once it heats, add cumin seeds and bay leaf.
- Once the cumin seeds sizzle, add the onions, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree, ground coriander, ground cumin, chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground meat and mix well to break the mince. Let the ground meat brown for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add ½ cup water and green peas. Mix well and deglaze the pot.
- Secure IP lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode for 10 minutes.
- Do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Put the Instant Pot back in saute mode for 2-3 minutes for the excess moisture to dry.
- Add garam masala and cilantro.
- Serve hot with rice or pav bread.
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