Aloo Keema

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare everything before you start: finely chop the onion and tomato, grate the ginger, mince the garlic, peel and dice the potato into small 1.5 cm cubes, and chop the coriander. Keeping the potato pieces small helps them cook within the 30-minute timeline.

   120 g onion, finely chopped150 g tomato, finely chopped10 g ginger, grated10 g garlic, minced180 g potato, peeled and diced 1.5 cm10 g fresh coriander, chopped1 small green chilli, sliced
2. 2

   Heat the oil in a wide frying pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Good browning here builds the base flavour without making the dish heavy.

   20 ml neutral oil120 g onion, finely chopped
3. 3

   Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, and black pepper; cook for 15-20 seconds only, stirring constantly so the spices bloom but do not scorch.

   10 g ginger, grated10 g garlic, minced4 g ground cumin4 g ground coriander2 g turmeric1 g red chilli powder5 g salt1 g black pepper
4. 4

   Add the ground beef and break it up well with a spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the mince loses its raw colour and starts to brown slightly. Keep stirring and separating the meat so you get a fine, even keema texture rather than large clumps.

   250 g ground beef
5. 5

   Add the chopped tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring and pressing the tomato into the meat, until it softens and the oil begins to separate slightly from the masala. This is the sign that the base is cooked enough for a quick curry.

   150 g tomato, finely chopped
6. 6

   Add the diced potato and water, stir well, then cover and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice. The potatoes should be nearly tender; if the pan looks dry before that, add a small splash of extra water.

   180 g potato, peeled and diced 1.5 cm120 ml water
7. 7

   Uncover, add the green peas and garam masala, and cook for 2-3 minutes more until the potatoes are fully tender, the peas are hot, and the curry is moist but not watery. If you want it drier, let it bubble uncovered for the final minute.

   80 g green peas3 g garam masala
8. 8

   Turn off the heat and rest for 2 minutes so the mince reabsorbs some moisture and the spices settle. Scatter over the fresh coriander and green chilli, then serve hot.

   10 g fresh coriander, chopped1 small green chilli, sliced

Origin & History

Aloo Keema is a homestyle South Asian mince curry widely cooked in Pakistan and North India, with many family variations. In Pakistani kitchens it is especially valued as an economical, comforting dish that stretches minced meat with potatoes while still delivering deep spice and savoury flavour.