Vatani Dastarkhwan
Keema Aloo
Fast, affordable, and on the table in under an hour. Keema Aloo is the kind of dish that asks very little and gives a lot. The secret is in the mince which must be properly browned before the potatoes go in. Everything else follows from there.
Serves
4
Prep time
10 min
Cook time
45–50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
Main
- 500g beef mince (keema)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium onions, finely sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt to taste
Spices
Garnish
- Fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- Green chillies, slit
- Fresh ginger, julienned
Substitutes
Beef is the standard. Chicken mince and mutton mince both work — chicken mince will release more water so allow extra time for it to dry off in the sauté (bhunna) step.
Method
Cook the onions
Heat oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown.
Add ginger and garlic
Add ginger and garlic paste. Sauté (bhunna) for 1–2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Add the keema and sauté (bhunna) properly
KEY STEPAdd the beef mince directly into the onions. Increase heat to high and break up the mince continuously with a spoon. Sauté (bhunna) until all the water the mince releases has dried off completely and the meat is browned. Do not cover the pot — steam will prevent browning. This step builds the colour and flavour the whole dish depends on.
Add the dry spices
Add the turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, and salt. Stir through for 1–2 minutes until the spices are fully mixed into the browned mince and smell fragrant. Add a small splash of water if the pot is very dry.
Add the potatoes and brown them
Add the potato cubes and stir to coat in the spiced mince. Sauté (bhunna) on medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until the potatoes pick up some colour from the keema. This gives the potatoes flavour before any liquid goes in.
Add the tomatoes
Add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté (bhunna) on medium-high heat, pressing and stirring, until the tomatoes fully break down and oil separates at the sides of the pot.
Add water and finish
Add 150ml water and stir through. Cover the pot and cook on low heat until the potatoes are fully tender. Remove the lid — the keema should be moist but with no standing liquid. Cook uncovered for a few minutes if needed to dry it off. Add garam masala and stir through. Garnish with fresh coriander, slit green chillies, and julienned ginger. Serve with roti or paratha.
Vatani's tip
Don't rush the browning. Don't cover the pot.
The mince must be sautéed (bhunna) on high heat with the pot uncovered until all the water evaporates and the meat is properly browned. Covering the pot traps steam and stews the mince instead of browning it. The colour and flavour of the finished dish depend entirely on this step being done properly.
Vatani
Shop the spices in this recipe
Every ingredient, sourced and graded for purity.
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Vatani Dastarkhwan
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