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Aloo Keema Minced Beef and Potato Curry

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Aloo keema is a delicious and easy one-pot Indian-influenced minced beef and potato curry, my version adds sweet peas and tastes divine.

Cooking this delicious curry takes around an hour but you will only spend 20 minutes of that in the kitchen prepping and cooking.

Aloo keema or Indian minced beef, pea and potato curry with red onion.

Beef Keema Curry

My classic lamb keema matar recipe has been here since 2018 and it is perennially in my top 10 recipes. I also have a minced pork curry, chicken keema curry, and a lamb keema rice recipe.

However, in recent months I have been asked if keema can be made with beef on many occasions.

Now I do not personally think that the protein element in any recipe can be swapped out, the sauces and spices should complement and contrast the main ingredient.

So I set out to create my perfect aloo keema or minced beef curry and potato curry… and this is it.

A glorious one-pot Indian meal. I’ve been using potatoes in curry recipes a lot of late and not serving without rice and I’m loving it.

Dishes like aloo gobi matar, a Bengali aloo paneer, dum aloo, aloo gosht and this aloo keema are absolutely rocking the Krumpli household at the moment.

Close-up aloo keema or Indian minced beef, pea and potato curry with red onion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use lean minced beef?

I would not make this ground beef curry with lean beef.

Aim for something with around 20% fat, this helps keep the whole dish lubricated and makes the final sauce silky and smooth.

I tested the recipe with 10% beef and it was a little dry because of the lack of fat.

Where can I find curry leaves?

You will probably need to head to an Indian store for curry leaves. They add a completely unique flavour to dishes.

Don’t be tempted to buy dried though because they taste of very little.

Buy fresh and put them in the freezer, they will last in there for 6 months in an airtight container or bag.

They are an essential part of many of my Indian dishes, everything from my smoked mackerel kedgeree to my achar gosht.

How spicy is this aloo keema curry?

Now there’s a question! Everyone has a different tolerance to spice, I find this dish fairly hot. The majority of the heat comes from the two Thai birds eye chillies that I usually use.

You should use chillies that you can tolerate and enjoy, if that happens to be ghost chillies then go for it… If you are a mild chilli kind person then again fill your boots

This is your dinner, it ain’t a competition!

A NOTE FOR MY US BASED READERS

Tomato puree in the US is known as tomato paste, it is concentrated tomato, puree in the US is what is called passata here in Europe.

Overhead aloo keema or Indian minced beef, pea and potato curry with red onion.

Serving Suggestions

As I mention above I view this beef aloo keema curry as a one-pot dish. There is however always room for flatbread when it comes to Indian food and my favourite is a tandoori style naan bread.

But because this dish is fairly dry, by that I mean that it does not swim in sauce, it is also great served with a chapati.

I like to garnish with fresh thinly sliced red onion, but it also works really well with a kachumber salad.

And finally, if you have a taste for something sweet with your curry then consider adding a little mango chutney on the side!

Don’t forget the poppadoms to start the meal off!

Indian Aloo keema or minced beef and potato curry with peas served in an iron karai.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • 30cm or 12″ frying pan or skillet with a lid.
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • Vegetable peeler.
  • Sieve or colander if you are using frozen peas.
  • Serving and serving spoons.
Indian Aloo keema or minced beef and potato curry with peas served in an iron karai.
Yield: 2 Servings

Aloo Keema Minced Beef and Potato Curry Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Aloo keema or an Indian-influenced minced beef and potato curry is the perfect midweek dinner that will not break the bank but will put a smile on everyone's face!

Ingredients

  • 350g (12oz) Minced Beef
  • 200g (~1⅓ Cup) Potatoes
  • 200g (~1⅓ Cup) Onion
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • Ginger Thumb Sized Piece
  • 2 Red Chilli Peppers
  • 12 Curry Leaves
  • 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Ajawain Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Brown Mustard Seeds
  • 1 Tbsp Ghee
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Puree
  • 1 Tbsp Chickpea Flour
  • ½ Tsp Ground Coriander
  • ½ Tsp Ground Turmeric
  • 1 Tsp Chilli Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Fenugreek
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 250ml (1 Cup) Water
  • 150g (~1 Cup) Green Peas
  • 1 Tsp Garam Masala

Instructions

  1. Cut the onion in half, peel it, then dice it as finely as you can.
  2. Peel and mash the garlic.
  3. Peel and grate the ginger.
  4. Slit the red chilli peppers vertically, not all the way through, do not cut in half leave the stalk in place to hold the chilli together.
  5. Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the ghee when it is hot.
  6. When the ghee has melted add the seeds, the slit chillies, and the curry leaves.
  7. As soon as the seeds begin to spit add the onions, ginger and garlic and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  8. Peel and cut the potatoes into a 1.5cm (½") dice.
  9. Add the potatoes, tomato puree and beef and turn the heat up to high and fry until the beef browns.
  10. Throw in the salt, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, and chickpea flour then stir to combine.
  11. Pour in the water stir and reduce the heat to medium-low then add a lid and simmer for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
  12. If you are using frozen peas defrost them by placing them in a sieve and running cold water over them for 3-5 minutes.
  13. Add the peas and garam masala, stir and cook for a final 2-3 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 820Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 1399mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 12gSugar: 14gProtein: 60g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

© Brian Jones
Cuisine: Anglo Indian / Category: Beef Recipes

Ian Baker

Sunday 3rd of October 2021

Hi Brian, can I just check please, you list cumin seeds twice in the ingredient list? Should one of these be another seed or is it just a doubling up?

Thanks for the great recipes.

Brian Jones

Sunday 3rd of October 2021

Hi Ian... Thanks for pointing that out, no idea how it happened, it is a duplicate so I have deleted it :)

Brian

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