Mince Curry Recipe

Mince is a very useful ingredient for a curry and is called keema in India. It can be cooked much faster that larger pieces of meat, can be marinated in a shorter time and should be a cheaper alternative to other cuts. This mince curry recipe uses lamb but any kind of mince works just as well – even Quorn mince for vegetarians. Do not buy very cheap mince as it is likely to have a much higher fat content and as this is a fairly dry type of curry where the meat is not lost in a lot of sauce, the excess fat would not be welcome.

Mince Curry Recipe
1 x 125 grams/ 3 - 4  tablespoons of plain yoghurt - thick Greek is best
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ kilogram (1 lb 2 oz) minced lamb
4 medium onions, peeled, with two just sliced and the other two finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into quarters lengthways
225 grams (8 oz) fresh or frozen peas, shelled
1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped or 1 - 2 teaspoons of ground chillies (optional)
Salt. pepper and lemon juice according to taste

Mix the turmeric, garam masala and cumin seeds into the yoghurt in a large bowl, then add the minced lamb, stir well and put aside to marinate for up to an hour if possible.
The medium finely sliced onions are then gently fried with the vegetable oil in a good sized pan (make sure it has a lid for use later) until they get a golden brown colour.
The marinated mince mixture can then be added, the heat turned up a bit, and fry on a medium setting for about 5 minutes. Give a good stir now and then before adding the remaining onions (the fairly finely chopped ones), the quartered garlic, and the chillies. Stir well and then pour in enough hot water (or a suitable optional stock) to make sure the whole mixture is just barely covered. Put on the lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove lid and check for consistency - more water may be required now or during the next 15 minutes or so while the lamb begins to brown and the liquid reduces. Add the peas. Check for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice as required. Slowly simmer with the lid off this time. The end result should be very moist and succulent but not swimming in liquid.

This dish will need the addition of rice or an Indian bread to make a full meal, plus I would suggest at least one vegetable side dish which has a bit of sauce - a nice thick dal would go brilliantly or perhaps a creamy sag mattar paneer.

I hope you will try this great mince curry recipe and that it will become a firm favourite in your curry repertoire.