Homestyle spiced Kheema curry, upgrade your basic Sloppy Joe today!
Kheema curry is a common dish, although there are many variations you can try by adding different vegetables to it. Its a spiced ground meat curry similar to Sloppy Joe but with added flavors and vegetables. You can add green peas, potatoes, spinach, methi, Doodhi, Karela amongst many other vegetables. You can even try different kinds of kheema like beef, lamb, turkey, or chicken. Cooked with aromatics like onion, ginger and garlic; braised in tomatoes, and flavored with warm spices like cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom and cloves.
The dish is very versatile in how you eat it. It can be eaten Indian style with roti or paratha, or made into a grilled sandwich in the sandwich maker. You can simply add it to a burger bun like a sloppy joe or use it as a quesadilla filling. It can be had for breakfast with eggs, for lunch or dinner. Get creative, there are many more uses for this flavorful dish. It cooks fast and most kids love it. Plus you can sneak in some vegetables for picky eaters!
Growing up this was one of the most common picnic foods. A pot of Kheema curry and buns and we were ready to go on an adventure! While today, I can think of other more convenient on the go foods better suited for picnics, I still have very fond memories of my childhood trips. Although we were away from home, the food comforted us of being close to home.
Here is my variation with a twist: bring Seekh kabab flavor to your kheema curry!
Makes 3-4 servings
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb)
- 1/2 cup pealed large diced potatoes
- 1/2 cup green peas (frozen works well)
- 3/4 cup small diced onion
- 1 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (canned works better for this)
- 1/2 tsp of ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves (lavang)
- 4-6 black whole peppercorns (miri)
- 1 large black elcho or 2 small green cardamom pods
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp cumin coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Seekh Kabab powder masala (I prefer Laziza brand for this)
- 1/8 tsp red chili powder or chili flakes or 1 whole fresh green chili
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1/2 tbsp dried Kasuri or 1/4 cup fresh methi leaves or 1/2 cube of frozen methi
- Garnish with chopped cilantro (optional)
Method:
- Wash the meat and drain out all the liquid.
- In a pot on medium high heat, add oil, whole cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, clove, peppercorn, and cardamom. Stir fry for 2 mins till you smell the spices.
- Add onion and cook for 5 mins till golden brown
- Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry to another min.
- Add the crushed/bended tomatoes mixture along with all the powder spices, methi and salt. Stir till it mixes well.
- Add ground meat and cook for 5 mins or until meat is cooked through. Keep stirring to break up the meat.
- Add Potatoes, cover with lid and cook for another 5 mins till potatoes are fully cooked. Stir periodically in between.
- Stir in peas, let it simmer for just another 2 mins.
- Optional: garnish with chopped cilantro
- Serve hot with naan, paratha, or roti and enjoy!
Tips:
- Canned tomatoes work better for this recipe as it needs the thicker tomato base. There are many kinds of tomato canned products, be sure to get crushed tomato cans for this.
- If using Chicken or turkey kheema, it will require using more of the powder spices as it takes more to flavor the bland meat.
- If you plan to freeze the leftovers, omit the potatoes. The Kheema and peas will freeze very well for next time.