Keema Pulao

Romy Gill’s Keema Pulao is a must-try! Juicy lamb mince simmered with aromatic spices, layered with fluffy basmati rice, and baked to perfection. Each bite is bursting with flavors of cumin, cardamom, and a hint of pomegranate molasses. Serve with green apple and mint raita!

6-8

Ingredients

For the Keema

4 tsp ghee or 40m sunflower oil
2-3 dried bay leaves
3 black cardamom pods
8 black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
3cm (1 in) cinnamon stick
10 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
25 small round shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
25g (1oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
2-3 green chilies, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp garam masala (see page 232 for homemade)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp pomegranate molasses or 1 tsp tamarind paste of 2 tsp imli ki chutney (tamarind chutney)
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
1 kg (2lb 4oz) lamb mince

For the rice

400g (14oz/ 2 cups) basmati rice
Boiling water, to cook the rice

To serve

Yoghurt
Green apple
Fresh mint

Method

Print Recipe

Soak the rice in cold water in a large bowl for 30 minutes.
Heat the ghee or sunflower oil in a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) over a high heat. Once hot, add the bay leaves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. As soon as they start to sizzle, add the garlic, stir, then immediately add the shallots. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and chillies and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring regularly so that they don’t burn. Add the chopped tomato and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining spices, chilli powder, pomegranate molasses and dried fenugreek leaves and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the lamb mince, stir well to break it up, lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the keema is cooking, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6.
Drain the rice, tip into a large saucepan and fill with boiling water. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Drain the cooked rice and layer it on top of the keema. Cover the dish and cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot with raita.
For the Raita, combine yoghurt with green apple and fresh mint.

Ingredients

For the Keema

4 tsp ghee or 40m sunflower oil
2-3 dried bay leaves
3 black cardamom pods
8 black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
3cm (1 in) cinnamon stick
10 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
25 small round shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
25g (1oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
2-3 green chilies, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp garam masala (see page 232 for homemade)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp pomegranate molasses or 1 tsp tamarind paste of 2 tsp imli ki chutney (tamarind chutney)
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
1 kg (2lb 4oz) lamb mince

For the rice

400g (14oz/ 2 cups) basmati rice
Boiling water, to cook the rice

To serve

Yoghurt
Green apple
Fresh mint

Method

Soak the rice in cold water in a large bowl for 30 minutes.
Heat the ghee or sunflower oil in a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) over a high heat. Once hot, add the bay leaves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. As soon as they start to sizzle, add the garlic, stir, then immediately add the shallots. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and chillies and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring regularly so that they don’t burn. Add the chopped tomato and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining spices, chilli powder, pomegranate molasses and dried fenugreek leaves and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the lamb mince, stir well to break it up, lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the keema is cooking, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6.
Drain the rice, tip into a large saucepan and fill with boiling water. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Drain the cooked rice and layer it on top of the keema. Cover the dish and cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot with raita.
For the Raita, combine yoghurt with green apple and fresh mint.