How to Make Indian Masala Kheema, Dry Spicy Minced Meat (2025)

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Asian Food
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Petrina Verma Sarkar

Food writer Petrina Verma Sarkar is a native of India with extensive knowledge of the country's regional cuisines.

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Updated on 04/7/21

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How to Make Indian Masala Kheema, Dry Spicy Minced Meat (1)

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 4 servings

158 ratings

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This recipe for Indian masalakheema, which translates roughly as meat mince, can be made with any meat you prefer—chicken, lamb, pork, goat meat, or any combination such as minced pork and veal. This dish, however, has become synonymous with lamb as this is a pantry staple in India.

Masala kheema is a flavorful combination of onion, garlic, ginger, spices, meat, and tomatoes,making a comforting dish that is easily accessible since garam masala is the only truly Indian ingredient. This dish also often contains peas and potatoes. This recipe, however, calls for both garlic paste and ginger paste, which you can make easily on your own, or you can purchase at some grocery stores; look for it in the produce section. The dish is extremely versatile and simply changing the ingredients in the masala(the spice and onion mixture) can result in a great new taste each time.

Serve withchapatis (Indian flatbread) orparathas(pan-fried Indian flatbread) or plain boiled, fragrant basmati rice. Masala kheema can be eaten as a main course for lunch or dinner. It's also good served alongsidedal(soup-like lentils) and a leafy green salad for a well-rounded meal.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garam masala
Kosher salt, to taste
1 pound ground beef, or any other ground meat
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
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Heat the cooking oil in a wok or deep pan over medium heat.
Add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute or until the seeds stop spluttering.
Add the onions and sauté till they turn a pale golden color, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger pastes and fry for 1 minute to get rid of the "raw" fragrance.
Add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, and salt to taste and sauté, stirring almost continuously, until the oil begins to separate from the masala. (When this happens, you know the spices are cooked to perfection.)
Add the meat to the masala and sauté until browned, stirring often to prevent burning— about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook until they are soft.
Turn off the heat, add the lime or lemon juice, and stir to mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips

For a heartiermeal, toss in 1 cup of fresh or frozen green peas and 2 to 3 potatoes (washed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes) just after the meat is browned. It's the perfect one-pot dish for a busy weeknight.
If you do have more time on your hands, you can make your owngaram masala. Literally meaning "hot spices," this spice mixturedoesn't have to be spicy at all. Since recipes can change from region to region, there really is no set ingredient list, although most garam masalas include cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. What the recipes do have in common is that the spices are usually toasted in a dry skillet to bring out their essencebefore being ground together.

How to Store and Freeze Indian Masala Keema

This is the meal that keeps on giving. Masala kheema tastes even better the next day and makes a great sandwich or wrap filling. This recipe will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, covered. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. If you can't use it right away, freeze anyleftovers to eat later on. You can also freeze keema, along with rice if desired, for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator or add it frozen to a saucepan over medium-low heat and a little water or oil so it doesn't stick to the pot.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
489	Calories
34g	Fat
14g	Carbs
33g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	489
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g	44%
Saturated Fat 9g	43%
Cholesterol 101mg	34%
Sodium 389mg	17%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 33mg	165%
Calcium 103mg	8%
Iron 6mg	33%
Potassium 824mg	18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Tomato
kheema
dinner
indian

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