Keema Matar Curry

Keema Matar Curry
(curry of minced-meat and green-peas)

Ingredients :

• Chicken Keema (Minced meat) - 250gm.
• Green Peas - 1/2 cup.
• Tomatoes - 2 red and fresh ones.
• Onions - 2 medium sized.
• Green chilies - 1 piece. Chopped into small pieces.
• Spices - Cinnamon (2 tiny 1" pieces), 1 bay leaf, Cardamom (2 pieces, torn into pieces), Cloves (optional, 2 pieces).
• Spice powder - Tumeric (2 tsp), Red-chilli (1/2 tsp), Coriander (1 tsp), Cumin (1 tsp).
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 spoonful.
• Oil or Ghee - 3 spoonful.
• Curd - 1 spoonful (optional)
• Lemon - 1 piece, 1 tsp need in cooking and rest can be used in garnishing.
• Salt - to taste

Pre-process :

• Cut the tomatoes into pieces and grind into a smooth paste. Cut out the half of one in form of flower for garnishing. Tomato-puree can also be used.
• Soak the green-peas in water, and boil in pressure-cooker or microwave (in max power) for few minutes so that they become tender.
• Cut the onion into small pieces. Leave one or two rings for garnishing.
• Mix salt, turmeric, 1-tsp lemon juice and curd (optional) into the minced meat. Microwave at high power for few minutes so that it becomes half-cooked. Take out once or twice in between and mix uniformly.

Method :

• Heat ghee (or oil) in a non-stick pan. As it is about to smoke, add the first set of spices : the bay-leaf, then cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. As soon as these starts cracking (don't burn to black), add the onion pieces, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Stirr casually in medium heat of about 5-10 minutes until the onions become light brown.
• Add the green-chilies and tomato paste. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the oil separates from the mixture. Do this in low heat, stirring continuously.
• Add the second set of spices - turmeric, red-chili, coriander and cumin powder. Mix it into the mixture.
• Add the half-cooked meat and stir for another few minutes.

• Add the green-peas and little water. Add some more salt if needed (taste at this point to check). Cover with a lid and cook in low heat for about 10 minutes. Stop when the water is almost dried out.
• Garnish with cut tomato, lemon and onion rings. Serve with rotis or paranthaas.