Keema Matar, also known as Qeema Matar, is a popular dish from the Mughal era, widely enjoyed across the Indian subcontinent. This flavorful meal combines minced mutton with green peas. Here's how you can make it.
Jump to:
- Debjani's Note
- Weekend lunch with Keema Matar!
- Keema Matar of Mughlai origin vs. Bengali Keema Aloor Tarkari!
- My take on Keema Matar!
- Here is how I cook the Keema Matar at Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Recipe Card
- Pairing
- Mutton Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Have you tried the Keema Matar recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Qeema Matar Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!
Debjani's Note
Even though it's November, winter still hasn't arrived in Kolkata, meaning we're not yet reaching for our sweaters and shawls. We're still adjusting fan speeds and fiddling with AC remotes. I'm sure many of us are also grappling with the age-old question: "What should I cook?" or "What can I ask the cook to prepare?" My daughter, Pasta, constantly asks for "something good, Mom!" which finally prompted me to begin making the delicious dishes I love to cook, especially in winter, hoping it might encourage the colder weather to arrive soon! Yesterday's Keema Matar was one such dish! Regardless of the weather, I was at least able to make Pasta happy.
Weekend lunch with Keema Matar!
Well, Pasta had the Keema Matar for lunch, while after cooking and the photo shoot, I went to meet my friends at the Calcutta Club and had a very nice lunch with Appam, Lemon rice, Mutton Stew, Butter Garlic Crab, and Pork Vindaloo at the Pappadam outlet over there. Before that, there was a round or two of Gin and Tonic and fried squid along with Mandatory adda with Dolon, Anindya, and Madhushree. Mehebub wasn't there as he was at my in-laws' place. He basically missed both the lunch as well as the home-cooked Keema Matar, which I had for dinner.
What's then? I adjusted the regulator and remote again while Pasta and Coffee, our golden retriever, were happy with their quilt. Mehebub returned at around 12:30 a.m. and saw me writing this post, and realized we had eaten his favorite dish without leaving any for him.
Keema Matar of Mughlai origin vs. Bengali Keema Aloor Tarkari!
Keema Matar is a mince-based curry with green peas, and it has Mughlai origins. It's said that this dish has been a royal favorite for a long time!
Personally, I prefer the simple, comforting Keema Aloor Tarkari with white bread over the richer Mughlai Keema Matar. However, both Mehebub and Pasta favor the ground meat cooked with green peas. Generally, mutton keema is preferred over chicken keema. However, these dishes can also be easily prepared using ground chicken.
My take on Keema Matar!
Slow-cooked with tender mutton mince and a blend of aromatic spices, these ample green peas are simply irresistible. I consistently use a 2:1 ratio of meat to peas, ensuring perfect results every time.
Here is how I cook the Keema Matar at Debjanir Rannaghar!
Recipe Card
Keema Matar Recipe | Mutton mince cooked with green peas
Ingredients
- 500 g Mutton Keema/ ground meat
- 250 g Green Peas
- 2 Onion big
- 1 Tomato
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 4 Green chili
- 100 g Plain Curd
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Cream Completely optional
Tempering
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 2 Dry Red Chili
Species
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Shahi Garam Masala Powder
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoon Mustard Oil
Instructions
- Clean the mutton keema before marinating it with the spices.
- Marinate the ground meat with ½ teaspoon each of Turmeric powder, Chili powder, Sugar, Salt, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, and also Garam masala Powder for 30 minutes.
- Cut the onion and tomato into slices.
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Temper the oil with bay leaf and red chili.
- Add chopped onion and fry till it turns light brown.
- Now add ginger and garlic paste, and also tomato, and cook till the raw aroma of the pastes and tomato is gone.
- Now add the curd and cook for five minutes.
- Add ½ teaspoon each of Turmeric powder, Chili powder, Sugar, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, and also little salt.
- Mix thoroughly and cook on a low flame till the oil comes out of the mixture.
- Crush the Kasuri Methi and add it to the mixture.
- Add green chilies as well.
- Now add both green peas and the marinated keema and mix thoroughly.
- Cover the pan and cook for around 15 minutes on a low flame.
- The meat will release moisture, and the curry will change color in between.
- Once the meat and peas are well-cooked and the moisture has evaporated, and the gravy is thick, add the rest of the garam masala followed by the cream, and mix.
- Switch the flame off when the "Tehr" (Oil) comes out from it and the Keema Matar reaches the desired consistency.
- Serve itkeema matar hot with your choice of roti, rice, pulao, or paratha.
Notes
- The cream is completely optional, however, I add it to make the Qeema Matar a bit milder and child-friendly.
Nutrition
Pairing
- Narkel Doodh Pulao
- Bengali Luchi Recipe | How to make perfect Luchi | Bengali Flatbread Luchi
- Easy Soya Chunks Pulao recipe | Soya Pulao | Soya Rice
- Instant Chicken Pulao Recipe | Chicken Pulao in Pressure Cooker
- Ghee Bhat | Bengali Sweet Pulao
- Dhakai Morog Pulao | Sahi Morog Pulao
- Birista Pulao aka Piyaz Beresta Pulao
- Methi Paratha
Mutton Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Bengali Mete Chorchori (also known as Mutton Liver side with Potato chunks)
- Mangsha Tarkari ( also known as Oriya Mutton Curry)
- Kolkata Mutton Biryani (Also known as Calcutta Biryani)
- Posto Mangsho (also known as Bengali Mutton Curry cooked with Poppy Seed Paste)
- Mangshor Jhol (also known as Bengali light Mutton curry)
- Gota Moshlar Mangsho (also known as Kata Moshlar Mangsho or Mutton cooked with whole spices)
- Hyderabadi Haleem (also known as Mutton Haleem)
- Kolkata's Mutton Tikia (also known as Tikia Kebab)
- Bengali Keema Curry (Also known as Mutton Mince Curry with Potato Chunks)
- Bangladeshi Mutton Tehari (Also known as Mutton tahiri)
- Mangsher Ghughni (Also known as Yellow Pea Curry with Minced Mutton)
- Mutton Ghee Roast (Also known as Mangalorean delicacy, Mutton Ghee Roast)
- Anglo-Indian Mutton Curry (Also known as Mutton cooked with saffron)
- Kosha Mangsho (Also known as Bengali Mutton Kasha)
- Kochi Pathar Jhol (Also known as Aloo diye Mangshor Jhol or Bengali Mutton Curry)
- Aminia Special Curry (Also known as Aminia Special Mutton Curry)
Have you tried the Keema Matar recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Here's the Qeema Matar Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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