Aloo Keema (Ground Beef & Potato Curry)

Ingredients

• 5 cm (2 inches)cinnamon stick
• 3cloves
• 1 tspcumin seeds
• ½ tspcoriander seeds
• ½ tspblack peppercorns
• 2 tbsp (30 ml)oil
• 1 largeonion, finely diced
• 1 tbspgarlic, grated
• 1 tbspginger, grated
• 500 gminced meat of choice (beef used)
• 150 g (1 cup)tomato, finely diced
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 1fresh green chilli, finely diced
• 2 tspground coriander
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspturmeric powder
• 1 tspred chilli powder
• ¼ tspground black pepper
• ¼ tspgaram masala
• 1 tsp, or to tastesalt
• 2 tbsp (30 g)yoghurt
• 450 g (3 cups)potatoes, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes
• 60 ml (¼ cup)water
• 75 g (½ cup), optionalpeas
• To tastechopped fresh coriander, to garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the pot

   Set a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, whole spices and diced onion.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Once the onion turns translucent, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.

3. 3

   Brown the mince

   Add the minced meat and stir often with a wooden spatula, breaking up any lumps. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat changes colour.

4. 4

   Add the seasonings

   Stir in the diced tomato, tomato paste, green chilli, ground spices, salt and yoghurt.

5. 5

   Cook down the sauce

   Cook until the tomato softens and the oil begins to separate from the meat.

6. 6

   Simmer with potatoes

   Add the potatoes and water. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender. If using peas, add them for the final minute.

7. 7

   Season and serve

   Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with roti, rice or both.

What is aloo keema?

Aloo keema combines aloo, meaning potato, with keema, a dish of minced meat cooked with spices. It is a familiar home-style curry across South Asian cooking, with variations in the meat, seasoning and consistency.

Here, whole spices perfume the oil first, while tomato, yoghurt and ground spices build a savoury sauce around the beef and potatoes.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 580 calories, 31g protein, 43g carbs, 31g fat.

The potatoes and tomatoes provide most of the carbohydrates, while the beef contributes protein and much of the fat. Serve a portion with extra vegetables alongside, or choose rice or roti according to how substantial you want the meal to be.

Why start with whole spices?

Whole spices: cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns go into the oil with the onion. This gives their flavour a chance to infuse the cooking fat before the meat and other ingredients are added.

Onion: let it turn translucent before adding the garlic and ginger. That gives the aromatics time to cook briefly without letting them burn.

Building the curry sauce

Tomatoes: the diced tomato and tomato paste provide the sauce base, while yoghurt adds a little tang. Stir them in with the ground spices so the meat gets coated evenly.

Reduction: let the tomato cook down until it softens and oil begins to separate from the meat, as the method describes. This is the cue to move on to the potatoes and water.

Getting tender potatoes

Even cubes: cut the potatoes into roughly 2.5 cm cubes so they cook at a similar rate. Keep the pot covered during the simmer to help them soften.

Stirring: stir frequently during the 20-minute cook so the potatoes and meat do not catch on the bottom. Check a potato with a fork; it should be tender before serving.

Choosing the mince

Beef: the recipe uses minced beef, which makes a robust, savoury curry. The ingredient list also allows another minced meat of your choice.

Lumps: break up the mince with a wooden spatula as it cooks, so it browns more evenly and combines well with the sauce.

Serving the curry

Roti: use it to scoop up the meat, potatoes and sauce. Rice is another suggested accompaniment, and you can serve both if you like.

Finish: add the chopped coriander garnish just before serving. Peas are optional and go in only for the final minute of cooking.

Recipe notes & tips

• Have the spices measured out before heating the pot, as the early cooking stages move quickly.
• Break up the mince thoroughly as it cooks to avoid large clumps.
• Stir frequently once the potatoes are in the pot to reduce sticking.
• Cut the potatoes into similar-sized cubes so they soften together.
• Add the optional peas only for the final minute, as directed.

Variations

• Try another mince: use a different minced meat of your choice in place of the beef.
• Include peas: stir them in for the final minute of cooking.
• Adjust the chilli: use less or more fresh green chilli to suit your preference.
• Serve with roti: use roti to scoop up the curry and its sauce.
• Serve with rice: spoon the curry over rice, or serve rice alongside roti.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Burning the aromatics: add the garlic and ginger only after the onion turns translucent, then cook them for 1 minute.
• Leaving mince in lumps: break it up with a wooden spatula while stirring.
• Moving on too soon: let the tomato soften and the oil begin to separate from the meat before adding potatoes.
• Skipping the stirring: stir frequently during the covered potato simmer to help prevent sticking.
• Adding peas too early: wait until the final minute of cooking so they do not cook for the full simmer.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the curry has thickened.

Frequently asked questions