One of my favorite ethnic comfort foods is keema mattar, a
scrumptious Pakistani/North Indian dish starring ground meat and peas. This is
my adaptation of Shahnaz Ahmad’s recipe from One Big Table, a fabulous cookbook I recommend to anyone who likes
something interesting on their plate.
Keema Mattar
2 lb. ground meat (I used beef, lamb is very commonly used,
and I suspect you could
even use soy crumbles to decent
effect with a little oil added for the initial step)
1 large onion, finely-chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne
Pinch turmeric
¼ c. oil
2 c. peas (I just use frozen peas, thawed)
2 plum tomatoes, finely-chopped
1 serrano pepper, finely-chopped (I always de-seed peppers,
too, to reduce the heat level)
1 ½ tsp. grated ginger
1½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish (cilantro’s more
authentic, but not for me)
Mix meat, onion, garlic, salt, cayenne, and turmeric
together and cook on medium-high in a heavy pot, breaking up to create a fine
texture. Cover and cook on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. Add oil and cook
another 5 minutes, stirring. Add peas, tomatoes, serrano, and ginger. Cover and
cook 5-7 minutes. Add cumin and coriander. Serve, over rice or with naan or
bhatura, garnished with cilantro or parsley. A side of raita is nice to have on
hand and I like a cucumber salad with it, too. Chop up a mango for an easy
dessert. Serves 6-8.
