Chicken Keema (Pakistani Ground Chicken Recipe)
Blog: cookingwithnelo.com
Servings: 3
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- 1.25 teaspoon cumin powder - aka zeera powder
- 1.25 teaspoon coriander powder - aka dhaniya powder
- 1.25 teaspoon salt - white/table salt
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder - aka kali mirch powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder - aka haldi powder
- 3 cloves - aka laung
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick - aka dalchini
- 1 black cardamom - aka bari elaichi
Blended Mixture
- 3 (300 g) tomatoes - I prefer Roma tomatoes (Note A)
- 4 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1 inch piece of ginger - peeled
- 2 small green chilies - I use Thai/bird's eye (Note B)
Other Ingredients
- ⅓ cup cooking oil
- 1 medium (100 g) onion - finely chopped/diced
- 1 pound (500 g) ground chicken - aka chicken mince/keema
- ¼ cup yogurt - whisked until smooth
- 1 inch piece of ginger - cut into very thin matchsticks (julienned)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro - aka coriander/dhaniya
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice - fresh
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together ingredients listed under "spice mix" and set aside.
- In a blender or food processor, put all the ingredients listed under "blended mixture" and process until completely smooth. Don't add water. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wide pot/pan/karahi (preferably non-stick) over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, and cook until the edges start to turn golden. Don't let it brown.
- Add spice mix and stir for about 10 seconds. Add the prepared blended mixture, stir, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat just enough to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally.
- Then add ground chicken (keema) along with ½ cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Break any lumps as you go.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, or just enough to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cook 12 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add yogurt and mix well. Cover and continue cooking over low heat until the liquid reduces, keema begins to glisten and some oil starts to separate.
- Add julienned ginger, chopped cilantro, lemon juice. Stir for a minute, turn off the heat, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes on the same burner. Enjoy with hot naan, roti or rice.
Notes
Note A: Tomatoes – If your tomatoes aren’t fully ripe, adding tomato paste will pep up the overall taste. Add about 1 tablespoon of paste per pound of chicken. Don’t reduce the amount of fresh tomatoes, though, as they add body and volume to the sauce.
Note B: Chilies – Fresh chilies can vary a lot in heat, depending on their kind, so adjust the amount as you see fit.