Salma's Aloo Keema
Mince Beef & Potato in Garam Masala
This dish is my childhood personified. Stirred into pasta after school, smeared into a sandwiches at my khala’s (woe to the moment I bit into a whole peppercorn! 😫) or eaten with a roti at my nani jaans 💓
Cooking with whole garam masala spices (as opposed to the ground blend) gives this dish it’s unique dimension. It also comes with a song especially for Ramzan: sehri pe kiya mele ga kiya mele ga, Alloo Keema 🎶
INGREDIENTS
2 large red onions
4 tbs oil
6 peppercorns
6 black cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 black cardamom pods
4 garlic cloves
2 inches of ginger
500g beef mince
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp chilli powder
1tsp turmeric powder
2 tomatoes
800ml water
2-3 potatoes
In order of appearance in the stockpot.
Thinly slice the onions with oil - Sweat them over a medium heat, that is, softening the onions without any caramelisation.
Whole spices - Temper them to release the natural oils.
Grated garlic and half the ginger - Cook until you can’t smell the raw garlic.
Minced beef - Stir to brown the meat.
Ground spices - Stir till you can’t smell the raw turmeric.
Roughly chopped tomatoes.
800ml of water - Bring the stockpot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Lid -Cook until the the tomatoes have disintegrated and most of the water has reduced.
Remove the lid - Raise the heat, stirring to further reduce the water.
Peeled and chopped potatoes - Stir them in.
Lid - Lower the heat. The potatoes will cook in the steam of the remaining liquid.
Remove the mince from the stock pot.
Garnish - The remaining ginger, cut as matchstick (julienne) and coriander.
