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–+ servings

Lamb Keema (Curried Ground Lamb)

419kcal
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Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 40 minutes
This flavorful Lamb Keema is a bold and comforting Indian dish made with ground lamb simmered in aromatic spices, onions, ginger, and garlic. Rich, satisfying, and surprisingly easy to prepare, it’s perfect served over basmati rice or with warm naan for a delicious weeknight meal.
Servings 4
Course Entree
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Ground Lamb
  • 2 cups Diced Red Onions
  • 1 cup Green Peas
  • 1 cup Tomato Puree
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic Paste
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 Green Cardamom
  • 2-3 Cloves
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 ″ piece of Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder optional
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves "Kasuri Methi"
  • 1 tsp Salt adjust to taste

Method

Peparation
  1. In a bowl add the ground lamb and 1/2 cup water and mix well using a circular motion; add more water gradually if needed. The ground lamb should lose the stringy texture and become a paste which prevents lumps from getting formed when you cook it.
  2. Boil the peas on the stove or in a microwave for about 2 minutes until tender, drain the water and put aside.
Cooking
  1. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan, add the cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf.
  2. When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry it for until it turns brown (about 1 minute).
    Ginger-garlic paste and spices in hot oil
  3. Add the onions to the pan and fry for about 10 minutes. When you add the onions sprinkle a little salt over them to speed up the cooking. Time to brown will vary based on your heat source, pan, etc.
  4. When the onions are translucent to lightly browned add the tomato puree, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt and mix well and cook the tomatoes which should take about 10 minutes. The tomato puree and onions become a thick paste with the onions indistinguishable and you’ll see the oil separating out of it.
  5. Mix the lamb and the onion-tomato base well and continue cooking on medium for another 10-12 minutes stirring frequently. You’ll notice that stirring the lamb into the onion-tomato base is a little tough at first but within 2-3 minutes as the lamb starts cooking it becomes easy to stir it.
  6. Cook the lamb on medium for about 20 minutes; when the lamb is cooked after about 10 minutes you'll see a change in color. Add the green peas, mix them in and cook for another 5 minutes or until the peas are tender (check by squishing one of the peas with your spatula).
  7. Add the garam masala and chopped cilantro and mix well.

Nutrition

Serving1 cupCalories419kcalCarbohydrates13gProtein22gFat31gSaturated Fat12gPolyunsaturated Fat3gMonounsaturated Fat14gCholesterol83mgSodium676mgPotassium670mgFiber4gSugar5gVitamin A694IUVitamin C22mgCalcium58mgIron4mg

Notes

Should you Brown the Ground Lamb
In this recipe, I mix the ground lamb with water so the finished keema has a soft, cohesive texture without clumps. This method allows the meat to break down gently as it cooks, creating a smoother consistency that evenly absorbs the spices.
If you prefer, you can brown the ground lamb first before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. Browning develops deeper, savory flavor through caramelization, giving the keema a slightly richer and more robust taste. It also results in a more crumbly texture rather than a softer, saucier one.
How to Brown the Ground Lamb
  1. Heat your pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the ground lamb without additional oil (it will release its own fat).
  3. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks.
  4. Cook just until the meat is no longer pink.
The lamb will release a good amount of fat as it browns. You can choose to drain some of it if you prefer a lighter dish, or leave it for added flavor. The rendered fat is excellent for cooking the onions and spices—simply sauté them directly in the lamb fat. If the pan looks dry at any point, you can add a small amount of oil to help the onions brown properly.
Be careful not to overcook the lamb at this stage. Since it will continue cooking with the spices, you only need to cook it until it loses its pink color.

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