Keema, Chicken Keema

On a recent trip to the local not-so-mega-mart, I noted that minced chicken was on sale. This started a long chain of thought processes and memories. My one-time roommates produced a semi-dry vegetable curry that was quite delicious, and I managed to master the technique. Now can I apply this to ground poultry?

I am looking for a semi-dry curry that can either stand alone or be included in a wrap like a Kati roll or folded into a wrap and thence dry toasted.

From Wikipedia:

In the Indian subcontinent, minced meat is used in a variety of dishes such as a stewed or fried curry dish of minced beef, mutton (i.e., goat meat or chevon), or other kinds of meat with green peas or potatoes. It usually includes ghee/butter, onions, garlic, ginger, chilis, and spices. Minced meat is called keema or qeema in the Indian subcontinent. Keema can be grilled on a skewer and is then called seekh kebab, or it is used as a filling for samosas or naan.

As ANY ground meat can be a hazard if undercooked, we will cook this dish using the concept of Bhuna, where every ingredient is fried until oil begins to ooze out.

The follow-on for this dish is that it can be used to stuff breads, rolls, or wraps thusly lending itself to a variety of dishes.

One side note; do examine the about page, as I have recently updated the various disclaimers at the suggestion of my readers. (No, I do not take compensation for any inadvertent listings/links I may publish. Yes, any opinions stated are mine and mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer. Lastly, cooking involves fire, hot things, biological things, sharp things, etc. Cook safely, at your own risk.)

Chicken Keema

A basic mince curry perfect with naan or as an ingredient in stuffed breads.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Ingredient, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, Indo-Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients
  

Spices

  • 1 ea Bay Leaf
  • 1/3 tsp Cumin Seed
  • 4 ea Pepper Corns Black
  • 4 ea Cloves
  • 1 ea Star Anise
  • 2 ea Cardamom pods Green
  • 1 ea Cinnamon Stick Small ~ 1"

Keema

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 ea Onion Medium, Peeled, Chopped
  • 1-2 ea Green Chili Washed, Stemmed, chopped
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
  • 1 ea Diced Tomato 14 oz can with juice
  • 2 tbsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
  • 1/2 lb Chicken Ground
  • 1/2 tsp Salt ~ to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Tumeric
  • 8 ea Mint Leaves Chopped

Optional

  • 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk For Gravy Curry
  • 1 – 2 ea Dry Red Chili

Instructions
 

  • In a glass bowl, mix the chicken, tomato, and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes
  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  • When the oil shimmers, throw in the whole spices & allow them to sizzle for a couple of seconds until they are fragrant
  • Add the chopped onions & fry them until they turn lightly golden from the edges
  • Add the ginger garlic paste & fry until the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste completely disappears & oil begins to leave the sides of the pan.
  • Add the marsala, turmeric, and chili powder. Give everything a good mix & fry very well until the raw smell from the spices completely disappears & oil begins to ooze out.
  • Next, add the marinated chicken mince & give everything a good mix. Fry the chicken until it looks crumbly & the juices from the chicken completely evaporated. The keema will also change its color from light to dark. Fry well until oil begins to ooze out from the keema
  • Add warm water or coconut milk, cover, and cook for 5-6 minutes,
  • Add the herbs, mix well and simmer to reduce to a semi-dry state
  • Serve hot with naan or rice.

Notes

The key to this dish is the process of frying, known as Bhuna & there is no shortcut for this frying part. The intense flavors of the recipe & the extraordinary taste lies in how well you fry each & every ingredient.
Fry each ingredient until the raw smell disappears.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 7gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 341mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 507IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Chicken, Curry, Follow On
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

  Filed under: Follow On, Indian, Indo-Chinese, Ingredient, Quick

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