I make this aloo keema at least once a month, even though I’m always cooking and experimenting with something new for the two recipe blogs I run. That perfect bite of soft, cubed potatoes smothered in tender, delicious ground beef, wrapped in a piece of hot naan, I mean, what’s not to love?
There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes when I’m working on recipes for my blogs. Failed experiments, rounds of taste-testing and improvements, eating those experiment outcomes for dinner to avoid waste, what have you.
But then come along creations that make me proud of the work I do and the effort I put in. This Keema recipe is one of those.
You might find it unusual that I start the recipe by boiling the qeema instead of putting it straight in the pan like most recipes do, but it really gives the texture and flavor a nice lift. You’ve got to trust the process, even if it seems unconventional.
This keema aloo is made in one pot, very midweek-friendly, and is going to become one of your favorite ways to use beef mince in Pakistani slash desi cooking.
Pre-cooking notes
- I strongly encourage using fresh ginger and garlic. The taste just won’t be the same with store-bought pastes. If you don't believe me, smell the jar of paste you've got!
- Hand-cut qeema is ideal for this recipe. But if all you’ve got is machine-cut ground/minced beef, that’s fine too.
- Star anise (badiyan ka phool) can easily overpower the overall taste, which is why I've specified the exact number of petals/segments to use.
- Avoid russet potatoes. They can turn to mush and make the dish starchy and weird. Ask me how I know 🙂. As a rule, I now only use red potatoes for all my desi recipes. Yellow potatoes are ok too, but red ones hold up better.
- Get the ripest red tomatoes you can find. Roma tomatoes are my favorite. They're inexpensive and also easy to find.
A visual guide for making aloo keema
Here are photos of the key steps to guide you through the recipe. For a printable version with quantities and notes, see the recipe card below.
Blend 1" ginger and 3 garlic cloves with 2 cups water. In a pot, mix keema, onion, ginger-garlic water, cloves, star anise, black cardamom, and 1 teaspoon salt. Boil over medium-high, then simmer uncovered over medium-low 15 to 20 min, until liquid is almost gone.
Add oil, red chili, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders. Also mix in garam masala, black pepper, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Add tomatoes, potatoes and ½ cup of water. Stir, then cook on low heat until the potatoes are completely cooked through. If the water dries up too fast, add a bit more.
Julienne the remaining 1 inch ginger.
When the potatoes are cooked, add kasuri methi, green chilies, and julienned ginger. Mix, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add lemon juice, and mix again. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro/ coriander and enjoy.
Top tips
- I think the only tricky part of this recipe is getting the potatoes right. Not undercooked, but also not mushy. I test them occasionally by piercing a piece with a knife. If it slides in easily but the potato still holds its shape, it’s done. Or take a bite (carefully) to see if it's cooked through.
- Green chilies and red chili powder can vary a lot in heat. For example, here in Canada, the green chilies I get from desi stores are different in terms of spice level from those I find in regular supermarkets. Plus, there are many regional variations. Point is, if your green chilies and/or red chili powders are too spicy, use less. If mild, use a bit more. And if you’re unsure, use less. Then taste the final dish and top your keema with very finely chopped green chilies if needed.
Serving ideas
There are so many ways to enjoy this aloo qeema. I personally like it best with some warmed-up naan, but basmati rice (plain or cumin-spiced), roti, chapati, or parathas all make for good combos. You can also serve it with raita and kachumber on the side.
Alright janab, that's a wrap!
This is one of my favorite dishes to make, and I hope it becomes one of yours too! If you try it, please come back and let me know how it turned out. Can't wait to see your ratings and comments.
Happy cooking – Nelo
Aloo Keema (Potato and Ground Beef Curry)
Ingredients
- 2 inches fresh ginger - peeled, then split into two 1 inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1 pound (500 g) ground beef - aka beef mince/keema
- 1 large (150 g) onion - finely sliced
- 3 whole cloves - aka laung
- 2 segments/petals of star anise - aka badiyan ka phool
- 2 whole black cardamoms - aka bari elaichi
- 1.25 teaspoons salt - split into 1 teaspoon and 0.25 teaspoon
- ¼ cup (80 ml) cooking oil - any neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder - adjust to taste ⓘ
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder - aka haldi powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder - aka zeera powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder - aka dhaniya powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder - aka kali mirch powder
- 2 medium (200 g) tomatoes - finely chopped. I use Roma tomatoes
- 2 medium (400 g) potatoes - peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes. Don't use russets (Note A)
- 2 teaspoons kasuri methi - aka dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 small green chilies - slit, then cut into pieces (Note B), adjust to taste ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- some chopped fresh cilantro/coriander leaves - aka hara dhaniya, for garnishing
Instructions
- Blend 1 inch of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic with 2 cups of water.
- In a pot or saucepan, add ground beef (keema), sliced onion, ginger-garlic-water, cloves, star anise, black cardamom, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well.
- Bring this to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low, simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until the water is almost gone.
- Next, add oil, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, black pepper powder, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cubed potatoes along with ½ cup of water. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on low heat until the potatoes are completely cooked through. If the water dries up before the potatoes are done, add a bit more.
- Meanwhile, julienne the remaining 1 inch piece of the ginger.
- When the potatoes are done, add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), green chilies, and julienned ginger. Mix gently, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, squeeze in fresh lemon juice, and mix. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro/coriander and enjoy. I like it best with some warm naan.
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