Keema Bhuna

Keema Bhuna, Sautéed Mince. Keema Bhuna is a Bengali dish, usually spicy and dry. There are many variations of the dish but some flavours are always present, such as onions, tomatoes, cumin and green chillies. Traditionally, it is served with Chapattis, Plain Rice or Naans, but this dish can even replace your Bolognese and be served with spaghetti. This time I served it with plain rice and a Rosh salad. And did it taste good? As soon as you take a spoonful of the mince and rice, straight away the cumin hits your senses, you taste the browned texture of the mince with the softness of the peas and the heat of the green chillies, the juices from the fried tomatoes and onions with the rice. Followed by a spoonful of Rosh to cool your mouth before another spoonful of the Keema Bhuna.

Serves: 2-3

Duration: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

300g Lamb Mince

1 large Onion

6 cloves Garlic

1 inch piece Ginger

1 large Tomato

6 small Green Chillies

1 cup frozen Green Peas

A bunch of Coriander

1 cup Boiled Water

2 tbsps. Vegetable oil

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Turmeric Powder

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Ground Coriander

1 tsp. Chilli Powder

2 tsps. Garam Masala

2 tsps. Whole Cumin Seeds

Method:

1.       Start off by dicing the onion very small. Next, heat the oil in a shallow pan over a medium heat, once the oil is hot, add one tsp. of the cumin seeds and let it fry for thirty seconds. Then add the onion and fry for fifteen minutes. Stirring occasionally and making sure the onion doesn’t stick to the pan.

2.       Meanwhile, dice the tomato very small, finely chop the green chillies and grate the garlic and ginger.

3.       Once, the onions have cooked; add the garlic, ginger, green chillies and fry for 3 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and fry for a further five minutes.

4.       Now, add the spice. Take the pan of the heat and add the salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder and stir into the mixture. Then, return the pan back to the heat and fry for two minutes continuously stirring.

5.       Next, add the mince and bring the heat to high. Brown the meat for five minutes continuously stirring. Pour in the water and let it simmer over a low heat for ten minutes, covered. Then, add the peas and cook for a further 10 minutes, covered.

6.       Meanwhile, coarsely chop three tbsps. of coriander.

7.       Then, once the mince has cooked. Crush the remaining cumin seeds by rubbing them in between your palms and sprinkle them and the coriander over the mince.

8.       Finally, serve with plain boiled rice, nan or even some spaghetti.