Lamb Keema Matar

Heat the oil in a large, wide pan or kadai over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring regularly, for 12–14 minutes until soft, translucent, and beginning to turn golden at the edges. A well-cooked onion base is the foundation of the entire dish — under-cooked onions will leave a raw, sharp taste in the finished curry. Add the grated garlic, ginger, and green chilli and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the raw smell of the garlic disappears. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, and ground cinnamon and stir for 60 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil — they should smell toasted and the mixture will darken slightly.

Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, and salt to the pan. Stir well to combine with the spiced onion base. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring and mashing the tomatoes as they break down, until the mixture is thick, jammy, and the oil begins to separate visibly at the edges of the pan. This stage — called bhunao in Indian cooking — is crucial: cooking the tomatoes down until the oil separates concentrates the flavours and removes the raw, acidic edge. The masala should look almost paste-like and very fragrant before you add the lamb.

Add the minced lamb to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon or spatula, working it into the masala so every grain is coated in the spiced tomato base. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until the lamb is browned all over and any liquid it releases has evaporated completely. Do not rush this step — the mince needs to fry in the masala, not stew in its own juices. Once the liquid has gone and the lamb is sizzling in the oil, add the hot water, stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavours develop and the lamb tenderise.

Remove the lid, add the frozen peas, and stir to combine. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the peas are tender and bright green and any remaining liquid has reduced to a thick, clinging sauce. Sprinkle the garam masala over the top and stir through. Squeeze the lemon juice over the keema and stir again — the acidity lifts the whole dish and brings all the spices into focus. Taste and adjust salt. Scatter fresh coriander generously over the top and serve immediately with steamed basmati rice, warm chapati, or naan. Keema matar is also excellent stuffed into a toasted roll for a keema pav.