Aloo Keema — Spiced Lamb Mince with Golden Potatoes

⏱ 55 min · Serves 4

A proper home-style Punjabi keema: lamb mince slow-fried with onion, ginger and tomato until the oil separates, then potatoes tucked in to soak up all that spice. Scoop it up with hot chapatis or pile it onto rice — it's the kind of dinner that quietly disappears from the pan.

Per serving: 528 kcal · 29.0g protein · 28.0g carbs · 33.0g fat

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 500g lamb mince (or beef mince)
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1.5 tsp salt, or to taste
• 400g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 250ml hot water
• 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
• Small handful coriander leaves, chopped
• Squeeze of lemon

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.
2. Add the onions and fry 10-12 minutes until deep golden — this is where the flavour comes from, don't rush it.
3. Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chillies and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the lamb mince, breaking it up with a spoon. Fry on medium-high for 8 minutes until browned and any liquid has cooked off.
5. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder and salt. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes collapse and oil glistens at the edges.
6. Stir in the potatoes to coat in the masala, then pour in the hot water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 18-20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender.
7. Uncover and cook off any excess liquid so the keema is thick and clinging. Sprinkle over the garam masala and kasuri methi, stir, and rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
8. Finish with coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with chapatis, naan or plain basmati rice.