Keema is the most fragrant and aromatic curry I’ve ever tasted. Originating in India, but also popular throughout the Middle East and northern Africa, it’s spicy, without the heat, and for extra taste and goodness it’s topped with a baked egg.
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North African keema
I have to say that this version of North African lamb keema is one of the tastiest and most fragrant curries I’ve ever tasted. Keema is made with ground lamb and spices cooked in a tomato-based sauce.
It’s aromatic and spicy with just a hint of heat from the addition of chilli. If you prefer you can leave the chilli out altogether which will make this keema a dish suitable for the entire family to enjoy.
The spice combination is a blend of warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamon, with the addition of cumin, coriander and paprika, and really works to complement the flavour of the lamb.
This version of keema is normally served with an egg baked on top of the dish for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. If you’re not keen on that idea, you can simply leave it out – it won’t make any difference to the taste of the curry.
Keema is normally served with flatbread (I’ve included the recipe below), or you can serve it over rice. And for a more substantial meal you could add a fresh green salad.
Where did keema originate?
As with most curries, this dish originated on the Indian sub-continent and different versions of keema are commonly found in the cuisines of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Middle East and North African countries have similar dishes. Turkey for instance has ‘Kiyma’ a spicy lamb dish normally used for stuffing vegetables. In Morocco, we find ‘kefta’ or ‘kofta’ which is spicy seasoned ground lamb formed into meatballs or patties. Middle Eastern countries have ‘shakshuka’ which is a dish of eggs baked in a spicy tomato-based sauce.
By the time keema made its way into Northern Africa, it had evolved to become a mixture of all these dishes, and this is the version that I am sharing today.
I hope you enjoy it!
What you will need
Equipment
To make keema you will need a large pan with a tightly-fitting lid. There’s not a huge amount of liquid in this dish so a tightly-fitting lid will help to prevent evaporation. This is similar to the one I use, and it’s great because you can use it both on the stovetop and in the oven.
You will also need a sharp knife and a chopping board for cutting up the vegetables.
Ingredients
This recipe will feed 4 people
**You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making lamb keema on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Lamb mince (or ground lamb) – lamb can be quite a fatty cut of meat, so buy the leanest lamb mince you can find. Mine was labelled 5% fat content.
Red pepper (or capsicum) – deseeded and membranes removed. The red pepper should be cut into small dice.
Onions – you can use red or white onions. These should be finely diced.
Tomatoes – finely diced. Don’t discard any juice that leaks out when you dice the tomatoes. The juice can be added into the keema.
Garlic – finely minced. You can use fresh garlic cloves, or for convenience you can used the equivalent amount of ready-minced garlic from a jar.
Ginger – peeled and finely minced. You can use the equivalent amount of ginger paste from a jar.
Olive oil – for frying the lamb and vegetables.
Tomato puree (or tomato paste) – this is highly concentrated tomatoes, normally sold in cans or in a tube. Not to be confused with tomato ketchup.
Stock – I used a vegetable stock cube dissolved in one cup of boiling water. You could also use a lamb stockpot dissolved in water.
Salt – for seasoning
Peas (not pictured) – I like to add frozen peas at the end of the cooking time for a touch of sweetness and to add a bit of colour. If you don’t like peas you can leave them out. Fun fact – keema made with peas is actually called keema matar!
Eggs – these are optional, but highly recommended. You will need one egg per person.
Spices – these are the spices you will need:
- Paprika
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Cinnamnon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Cardamom
- Chilli flakes – these are optional – leave them out if you don’t want the heat.
What to do
Preparation
I always like to get everything ready before I start cooking, that way I don’t forget anything.
- Chop the red peppers, onions and tomatoes. Because the lamb doesn’t have large pieces of meat in it, you should aim to chop the vegetables to a maximum of 1cm dice.
- If you are using fresh ginger and garlic, peel and mince them finely.
- Dissolve the stock cube in a cup of boiling water.
- Measure all the spices out onto a plate, or into a dish. They will all be added at once so it doesn’t matter if they get mixed at this stage.
Cook the keema
Heat the oil in a large pan and then add the chopped onions and peppers, and the minced garlic and ginger. Stirfry over a gentle heat until they start to soften. This will take about 5 minutes. Don’t allow them to brown.
Push the peppers and onions to one side and add half of the lamb mince. Turn the heat up slightly and fry the mince until it is crumbly and no longer pink. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
Mix the browned mince with the tomatoes and onions and push it to one side of the pan. Add the remainder of the meat and continue to stirfry until it has browned.
Stir the mince and vegetables together then stir in the stock, the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste. Season with salt.
Cover the pan with a lid, set the heat to a slow simmer and leave for 45 minutes. Check occasionally, and if it seems to be drying out, top up with water or extra stock.
Stir in the frozen peas and turn up the heat to medium.
Break one egg per person on top of the mince, cover the pan with a lid and leave on a strong simmer for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes the whites should be cooked and the yolk should have started to set. If you prefer your eggs more well done, you can leave for one or two minutes extra.
Make the flatbread
If you would like to serve the keema with flatbread, this is how to make it.
This is a very soft, pliable flatbread, with a lovely buttery taste. There’s no yeast required, and it only takes minutes to make. You will need to rest the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes or so once it has been mixed, so I would recommend you make the flatbread while the keema is cooking.
These are the ingredients you will need for the flatbread:
- Plain flour – don’t use self-raising flour.
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk
- Sunflower oil (for frying)
Heat the butter and milk in the microwave (or in a pan on the stove) until the butter has melted.
Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix with a flat-bladed knife until it comes together into a soft ball.
Tip the ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator to rest for 20 minutes.
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into a circular shape – about one-eighth of an inch thick.
Heat a teaspoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the flatbread for 2 to 3 minutes on a medium heat.
Turn the flatbread over and fry the other side for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown.
These flatbreads are soft and pliable. Any leftovers can be used as wraps for sandwiches.
The flatbread recipe as given will make 8 flatbreads. You can adjust the quantity by halving or doubling the ingredients.
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Lamb keema FAQ
Yes, lamb keema can be frozen for up to 4 months. If you intend to freeze it, don’t put the eggs on top. Let the keema cool and then transfer it to rigid air-tight containers before freezing.
To use, allow the keema to defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a frying pan. If you want to add eggs, allow the keema to come to a strong simmer before adding them, then follow the recipe instructions for cooking them.
The flatbread can be frozen separately. Separate the pieces of flatbread with pieces of greaseproof paper or baking parchment and place them in a strong plastic bag. To use, let them defrost on the counter (they defrost quite quickly) and then reheat them individually in a dry frying pan.
Keema can be made in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once again, if you make it in advance, don’t add the eggs. Reheat the keema to a strong simmer in a frying pan before adding the eggs.
Yes, you can make this keema with minced beef, although to be perfectly honest, I prefer the taste of this curried minced beef recipe. I haven’t made it with ground chicken – if you do try it with chicken I’d love to know how it turned out.
Keema is a term used in Indian cuisine and it simply means ‘minced meat’.
You can do as I have done in this recipe and serve the keema with flatbread and perhaps a green salad.
You could also serve this dish over rice.
Other accompaniments could include raita, chutney, mango or lime pickles or papadums.
Save for later
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Other recipes
I have quite a few curry recipes on my site. Here are a few you may enjoy:
- Easy butter chicken (Murgh Makhani) – a delicious chicken curry recipe, mild enough for the whole family to enjoy.
- Chicken tikka masala – Britain’s favourite takeaway!
- Easy beef madras – you can adjust the chilli in this delicious yoghurt infused curry to make it as mild or as spicy as you prefer.
- Bunny chow – South Africa’s favourite takeaway!
The recipe
Lamb keema (minced lamb curry with eggs)
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Ingredients
Keema
- 1 pound /450 grams lean lamb mince
- 1 large red pepper / capsicum
- 1 large onion or 2 medium onions
- 2 large tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree / tomato paste
- 1 cup vegetable or lamb stock made with a stock cube
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 inch piece ginger peeled and minced
- 4 large eggs optional
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas
Spices
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes optional
Flatbread
- 2 cups plain flour not self-raising
- 3½ tablespoons / 50 grams butter
- ¾ cup / 180 ml milk
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 – 4 teaspoons sunflower oil
Instructions
Preparation
- Chop red pepper, onions and tomatoes into small dice (maximum 1 cm). Keep any juice from the tomatoes to add to the keema.1 large red pepper / capsicum, 1 large onion, 2 large tomatoes
- Peel and mince ginger and garlic2 cloves garlic, 1 inch piece ginger
- Dissolve the stock cube in one cup of boiling water1 cup vegetable or lamb stock
- Measure all spices onto a plate.1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Keema
- Heat the oil in a large pan and then add the chopped onions and peppers, and the minced garlic and ginger. Stirfry over a gentle heat until they start to soften. This will take about 5 minutes. Don't allow them to brown.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Push the peppers and onions to one side and add half of the lamb mince. Turn the heat up slightly and fry the mince until it is crumbly and no longer pink. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.1 pound /450 grams lean lamb mince
- Mix the browned mince with the tomatoes and onions and push it to one side of the pan. Add the remainder of the meat and continue to stirfry until it has browned.
- Stir the mince and vegetables together then stir in the stock, the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste. Season with salt.2 tablespoons tomato puree / tomato paste, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cover the pan with a lid, set the heat to a slow simmer and leave for 45 minutes. Check occasionally, and if it seems to be drying out, top up with water or extra stock.
- Stir in the frozen peas and turn up the heat to medium.1 cup frozen peas
- Break one egg per person on top of the mince, cover the pan with a lid and leave on a strong simmer for 5 minutes.4 large eggs
Flatbread
- Heat the butter and milk in the microwave (or in a pan on the stove) until the butter has melted.3½ tablespoons / 50 grams butter, ¾ cup / 180 ml milk
- Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix with a flat-bladed knife until it comes together into a soft ball.2 cups plain flour, ¾ cup / 180 ml milk, ½ teaspoon salt, 3½ tablespoons / 50 grams butter
- Tip the ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 to 4 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator to rest for 20 minutes.
- Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a circular shape – about one-eighth of an inch thick.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the flatbread for 2 to 3 minutes on a medium heat. Repeat with the other balls of dough.3 – 4 teaspoons sunflower oil
- These flatbreads are soft and pliable. Any leftovers can be used as wraps for sandwiches.
Notes
To use, allow the keema to defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a frying pan. If you want to add eggs, allow the keema to come to a strong simmer before adding them, then follow the recipe instructions for cooking them.
The flatbread can be frozen separately. Separate the pieces of flatbread with pieces of greaseproof paper or baking parchment and place them in a strong plastic bag. To use, let them defrost on the counter (they defrost quite quickly) and then reheat them individually in a dry frying pan. Nutrition excludes the flatbread.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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