It is November and yet winter is not ready to bestow us with the sewers and shawls at least in Kolkata. We still are struggling with the regulator of the fan and the AC's remote. I am sure we are struggling with the age-old question of "What to cook?" or "What can I ask the cook to cook!" as well. I am horrified by Pasta's nagging and "I want something good, mom!" Finally, I decided to start the delicacies I prefer to cook especially in winter with the hope to welcome the winter soon! Yesterday's Keema Matar was one such dish! Winter or no winter I at least was able to make Pasta happy.
Jump to:
- 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
- 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!
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, Pork Vindaloo at the Pappadam outlet over there. Before that, there was a round or two of Gin and Tonic and friend squid along with Mandatory adda with Dolon, Anindya, and Madhushree. Mehebub wasn't there as he was at my in-law's place. He basically missed both the lunch as well as the homecooked Keema Matar which I had for dinner.
What's then? I adjusted the regulator and remote again while Pasta and Coffee were happy with their quilt. Mehebub returned at around 12:30 a.m. and saw me writing this post and realized we ate his favorite dish without leaving some for him.
Keema Matar of Mughlai origin vs. Bengali Keema Aloor Tarkari!
Keema Matar is a Meancemeat-based curry cooked with Green peas and is of Mughlai origin. It is said that this dish is liked by the Royals for a long!
I personally prefer the humble, homely Keema Aloor Tarkari along with white bread over the rich Mughlai Keema Matar. However, both Mehebub and Pasta prefer the mincemeat cooked with green peas. The common preference, however, is mutton keema over chicken mincemeat. Be it Matar Keema or Keema Aloor Tarkari, when cooked with mutton (or any other red meat) keema; you got to have extra time for cooking the meat while with chicken keema so as not to make it chewy we add the keema once the cooking is almost done. However, these dishes can obviously be cooked with chicken keema as well.
My take on Keema Matar!
Ample green peas slow cooked with mincemeat and spices; there is no chance in getting this bad. I always use the meat and peas in a proportion of 2:1 and hence actually there is no reason to get it wrong
Here is how I cook the Keema Matar at Debjanir Rannaghar!
PrintRecipe Card
Keema Matar (Mutton mincemeat cooked with green peas)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 People 1x
Description
Keema Matar aka Qeema Matar is a famous dish of Mughal origin and is famous in the Indian subcontinent. This is cooked with mincemeat and Green Peas.
Ingredients
- 500g Mutton Keema/ Mincemeat
- 250g Green Peas
- 2 Onion (big)
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Tbsp. Ginger Paste
- 1 Tbsp. Garlic Paste
- 4 Green chili
- 100g Plain Curd
- 2 Tbsp. Cream (Completely optional)
Tempering
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 2 Dry Red Chili
Species
- 1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tsp. Red Chili Powder
- 1 Tsp. Kasuri Methi
- 1 Tsp. Cumin Powder
- 1 Tsp. Coriander Powder
- 1 Tsp. Shahi Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Tsp. Sugar
- 1 Tsp. Salt or to taste
- 3 Tbsp. Mustard Oil
Instructions
- Clean the mincemeat before marinating it with the spices.
- Marinate the meat with ½ Tsp. each of Turmeric powder, Chili powder, Sugar, Salt, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, and also Garam masala Powder for 30 minutes.
- Cut 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 in color.
- 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 Tsp. each of Turmeric powder, Chili powder, Sugar, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, and also little salt.
- Mix thoroughly and cook on low flame till the oil comes out from the mixture.
- Crush the Kasuri Methi and add it to the mixture.
- Add green chilies as well.
- Now add both green peas and also the marinated mincemeat and mix thoroughly.
- Cover the pan and cook for around 15 minutes on low flame.
- The meat will release moisture and the curry will changes color in between.
- Once the meat and peas are well cooked and the moisture is soaked 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 is reaching the desired consistency.
- Serve it hot with your choice of carbohydrate.
Notes
- The cream is completely optional, however, I add it to make the Qeema Matar a bit milder and child-friendly.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Mutton
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Mughlai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
- Calories: 466
- Sugar: 9.6g
- Sodium: 734mg
- Fat: 23.4g
- Saturated Fat: 5.8g
- Carbohydrates: 21.2g
- Fiber: 5.3g
- Protein: 41.5g
- Cholesterol: 117mg
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 Mincemeat 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!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here at dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
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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