Recipe of Masala Keema | Masaledar Keema

Keema ( Mutton Mince) is one of the most famous non veg dish, though keema has lots of variations like green mutor keema ( Click here for recipe ) , green keema rice ( Click here for recipe ) , keema biryani and there are loads of appetizers made of keema ( mutton mince ), but here I am sharing masala keema, this masala keema is tossed in whole and grounded spices, to taste as delicious as it looks, the vibrant red colour adds a glory, and justifies it as a NON VEGETARIAN dish.

But for me, keema only means masaledar , tari- dar delicious spicy mutton mince. I do not remember when did I start having it but yes I can say since child hood, as being raised up in a typical muslim ( follower of Islam) family where non veg is the only dish served every day. I still remember my grand ma use to not like the food unless it did not have tari on it, she had a saying ” woh gosht ka saalan hi kya jisme tari na ho,, tari se hi kubsurati aati hai ” ( Its of no use if the mutton gravy do not have tari on it, in fact tari makes all the non veg curries looks beautiful). Stayed under my grand ma’s influence I too have formed such notions, like good tari on non veg dish is complete must, but I also agree that too much of oil is not good for health as per the doctors.

You must be thinking what am i talking, masaledar and tari dar , so here I proudly say that masale-dar means spicy and tari-dar means oil that floats on the surface of any non veg dish , its usually seen after the completion of cooking of any non veg cuisine, though for this ( tari) you have to add good amount of oil while cooking where as mutton, chicken, keema they also release some amount of oil, mutton and chicken has charbi ( fats) attached to them where as keema is minced with fat only. Well, now many have gvien up on tari ( oil that floats on the surface of any kind of gravies ) though , and so did I…. but little bit is perfectly fine..what say ?

INGREDIENTS:

250 – 300 gms keema ( lamb’s mince)
1 bay leaf
4- 5 pepper corns
2 – 3 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 peeled and chopped tomato
1 small onion
2 – 3 green chillies (slit it from the middle)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 – 1 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Coriander leaves for garnishing
salt
oil

METHOD:

1. Wash and drain keema ( mince) and place it in non stick pan or kadhai, add bay leaf, cumin seeds, pepper corns, cloves, salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, chopped tomato, oil, small onion chopped into thick pieces. Mix everything well and keep on low flame until the water dries up. ( keema releases out its own water initially when cooking, so let it dry up in that itself )

* You can reduce the oil quantity shown in the pic to 1 tbsp or you can omit oil from adding to the keema in this step, as later also you will have to add in the form of baghar ( tempering).

2. Once the water has dried up add 1 cup of water, cover and cook on low flame until the mince is almost done. Now add coriander powder and 3/4 tsp red chilli powder and fry until oil separates, add 1 cup water again and keep on low flame until the keema ( mince) is completely done. ( by now the the masala will be cooked properly where as the onions and tomatoes will have been mashed and formed into a paste kind)

3. Cook keema in masala until the water has dried up and oil separates, keep stirring at intervals if the pan is not a non stick one, so to prevent the keema and masala from getting burnt at the bottomkeep stirring at intervals.

4. In a another pan heat oil add slit green chillies and fry them, now remove the pan from fire.

5. Add 3/4 tsp red chilli powder in the hot oil and instantly stir and pour this mixture on to the prepared keema, ( do not add red chilli powder when the oil is on gas as the chilli powder will become dark in colour or burnt and then if you pour this mixture, keema will have burnt smell and won’t look good also in colour)

6. Mix well, Simmer on low flame for 5 minutes, garnish with coriander leaves and Serve hot with naan, machii katey naan ( naan that looks like fish bones ) tandoori naan, butter naan, rumali roti or parathas with lemon wedges and raw onions.

NOTE:

You can keep masala keema dry or semi gravy, for gravy when you simmer it for 5 minutes during that time add 1 cup of water and simmer for 7 – 8 Minutes instead of 5 minutes, here your masala keema with gravy / masala keema curry is ready.
Make khichdi ( khichdi is made of rice and masoor daal )and serve with masala keema curry, it taste delicious with this khichdi rice or parathas and naan.
Increase or decrease the quantity of red chilli powder as per your taste.
Decrease the number of green chillies as per your preferences.
Best is to use kashmiri red chilly powder as it just adds the colour but do not make the keema that spicy.
Best when served with tandoori naan, butter naan, parathas, naans or macchi katey naan ( naan which looks like fish bones and is served with kache keeme kebabs also )
The other way of making this same keema is :
In a pan heat oil, add whole spices with slit green chillies, then add finely chopped onions and fry until it turns golden brown, add keema ( wash and drained) now add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears, now add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and fry on low flame until the keema is completely dry. Now add 1 – 1 1/2 water, cover and cook on low flame until the keema is completely done. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with naans or parathas.
You can omit oil in 1st step or last tempering step, as per your preferences, if you have any problem with tari factor, then add oil 1 tbsp in 1st step then later do not add tempering, and if you want to add tempering at the end , so skip oil in 1st step, choice is yours.
If you skipping oil, and want to add either at the start or in the end while tempering then, please make sure you add, red chilly powder accordingly, like if not tempering then add appropriate amount of red chilly during the time, adding rest of the spices .
Use kashmiri red chilly powder, for vibrant colour and less hotness, as I have used that in this recipe.