T H E K E E M A S U T R A
An ancient guide to creating the ultimate family mealtime pleasure
INTRODUCTION TO KEEMA You may well ask what is the Keema Sutra. Is it something you feel like you’ve heard before? It intentionally sounds like that other well known Sutra but this one is all about the pleasures and delights of cooking and eating. First let us tell you about the Keema in Keema Sutra. It’s an Indian minced meat dish traditionally made with lamb and often incorporating peas. And so the Keema Sutra is about joy, exploration and embracing the
unknown. Open your mind to a new dish that will lead you to discover a whole host of delightful meals for all the family. A simple Keema recipe, utilizing affordable minced lamb, sits at the heart of all the recipes in this booklet. It’s an extremely versatile dish that can be used in so many ways. We’d like to think it could make a regular appearance in any number of your family’s meals.
They say variety is the spice of life and we hope you couldn’t agree more after you’ve tasted the delights of cooking with Keema. Try something new and fall in love with the unknown and we promise you’ll never go back to ordinary again. The whole family and their taste buds will revel in the joys of these simply delicious dishes. The Keema Sutra is a guide to good food living, incorporating love, family life and pleasure. We’re appealing to the open minded and those seeking a passion for new flavours. Some of our recipes lean on Asian spices to trigger that desire. So if you fancy something new and innovative, yet simple, these recipes will add to your repertoire and give you the confidence to be more adventurous in the kitchen. It’s time to banish boring meals and spice up dinnertime for the whole family. How can you resist?
SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
KEEMA BASE RECIPE SERVES 4
All of the dishes in this booklet use the basic Keema recipe as their starting point. Think of Keema as an equivalent to a Bolognese and just like that recipe it forms the basis of many other meals that you can make. One of the chief benefits of Keema is that it can be made in one pan or pot in no more than 40 minutes. Try this base recipe first before you adventure into a world of pleasure and exploration with our Keema Nans other exciting and tasty dishes.
10 minutes
< 40 minutes
5ml/1tsp minced ginger or 1 x 2.5cm/1inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
5-10ml/1-2tsp white sugar
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, deseeded (if preferred) and finely chopped or 5ml/1tsp hot chilli sauce
75g/3oz peas
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed or 10ml/2tsp garlic purĂŠe
45ml/3tbsp curry paste of your choice
450g/1lb lamb mince 10ml/2tsp sunflower or vegetable oil
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the onion and garlic over a low heat for 10 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. 2. Add the ginger, hot chilli sauce or fresh chillies and curry paste. Cook over a moderate heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
30ml/2tbsp tomato purĂŠe
Salt and freshly milled black pepper Large handful freshly chopped coriander, to garnish
3. Add the lamb and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato purĂŠe and bring to the boil. Season, reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water, if needed. 4. Use as required or cool quickly, transfer into plastic container and freeze for up to *3 months.
MEET THE KEEMA NANS We promise if you follow these recipes in The Keema Sutra pleasure awaits. No one knows this more than Pervin Todiwala and Mamta Gupta who have practically raised their family’s on Keema. They are our Keema Nans. Between them they have a world of experience and we all know experience can make a big difference. For over 20 years Pervin Todiwala has been one half of one of the UK restaurant industry’s most enduring double acts, with her husband Cyrus. Together they are responsible for the success of Cafe Spice Namaste in the City of London.
Mamta Gupta started her familyrun recipe site when her children first when to university, and it was intended to be a ‘living’ cookbook. She has continued to constantly keep it updated and refreshed, and now includes a selection of Indian and international recipes and cooking tips. We’ve bought them together to share their passion of Indian cooking and their own family Keema recipes. They’re going to show you how relevant and truly versatile Keema can be to modern, open minded families.
KEEMA NANS WISE KITCHEN TIPS AND HACKS
TIPS BY
MAMTA GUPTA
It is a myth that spices can disguise poor quality or bad meat. Look out for a quality mark such as the Red Tractor logo.
Make your own garam masala regularly, in small batches, so that it stays fresh when you use it.
Grind your own coriander and cumin seeds rather than buying them already ground. The intensity of the aroma is completely worth it.
Store your spices in bags in the freezer keeping just a small amount in the jars in your spice rack.
In Indian cooking, onions are usually fried to a much darker brown than in Western cuisines. Wait until you have some extra time to fry a large batch of them and then divide it into portions for the fridge and freezer. Use these as short cuts to speed up your cooking on a weekday evening.
Mixing all dry spices into a paste with water prevents them from burning. This can be prepared at the start so that they are ready to be added to the pan when the recipe tells you to.
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be too stingy with oil when cooking a meat curry. Onions fry best when given enough oil. At the end of the cooking, when the curry is finished but not yet garnished, let it rest for a short while, then tilt the pan and spoon off any excess fat that has floated to the surface.
Adding a little water when cooking off your mince will give a lovely smooth consistency.
TIPS BY
PERVIN TODIWALA
CHUNKY KEEMA PASTA BAKE Serves 4 20 minutes
30-40 minutes
450g/1lb prepared lamb keema
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
175-200g/6-7oz dried pasta shapes, e.g penne, fusilli or eliche
150ml/¼ pint good, hot lamb stock
100g/4oz broccoli, cut into small pieces or florets
1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°C. 2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain and set aside. Cook the broccoli in a separate pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain and set aside. 3. Put the keema in a large non-stick pan with the stock and heat for 3-4 minutes until hot. Remove from the heat and add the pasta and broccoli. Season if required.
50g/2oz grated Mozzarella cheese 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped coriander or flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
4. Combine the mince and pasta with half the cheese. 5. Spoon the mixture into a 2L (3½pint) ovenproof dish or 4 individual ovenproof dishes. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes. 6. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander or parsley before serving with warm crusty bread and a crisp green salad.
INDIAN MEATBALL CURRY BY MAMTA GUPTA
Lamb mince make delicious kofta (meat balls) which can be added to any curry sauce that you like. This meatball curry is so delicious, perfect to serve for a special meal. Despite the long list of ingredients, this curry is easy to make and relatively inexpensive too. These meatballs can also be served plain as a snack or starter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you can even squish them into flat burger patties and serve in mini burger buns. Just shallow fry in a pan and serve with a fresh green chutney or your choice of condiment. For the curry, the meatballs are dropped into the curry gravy raw and simmered until cooked through.
TIP BY MAMTA GUPTA To serve meat balls as a snack heat a little oil in a shallow pan. Add a few meat balls at a time and fry them on medium heat, turning over frequently, until they are nicely browned and meat is cooked through. Garnish with salad and serve with mint and coriander chutney, chilli sauce or tomato ketchup.
INDIAN MEATBALL CURRY Serves 4-6
25 minutes
< 30 minutes
For Meatballs:
450g/1lb lamb mince 1 egg. lightly beaten 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped 1.25cm/½ inch piece fresh root ginger, grated 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled 1-2 green chillies (adjust to taste. If you do not have green chillies, add red chillies to taste) 1½ tsp salt, or to taste ½tsp freshly ground black pepper A few fresh coriander leaves (or mint if you prefer) For the Curry: 30ml/2tbsp vegetable oil, for cooking 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled 2.5cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped For the Whole Spices: 1 tsp cumin seeds 2-3 large cardamoms, broken slightly with a mortar 6-8 peppercorns 6 cloves 2 bay leaves 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick or cassia bark ½tsp ground coriander ½tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground chilli powder, adjust to taste 1 tsp mild ground sweet paprika Salt, to taste 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped, or use 200 grams chopped tinned tomatoes 2tbsp tomato puree´ ¾pint water (adjust for how thick you want the curry to be) 1 level tsp garam masala 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
To make the meatballs: 1. Place all meat ball ingredients, except the lamb and egg, in a food processor and process finely. If you do not have a food processor, onion, ginger and garlic and chop chillies very finely and then add the other ingredients. 2. Place the lamb in a large bowl. Add the onion mix and the egg. Mix well by hand or with a large spoon. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight to marinate. This helps the flavours to infuse. 3. Shape the mixture into 20 walnut sized balls. Wetting your fingers and palms with water helps. To make the meatball curry: 4. Heat the oil in a pan, then add the whole spices. When the cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add the onion, ginger and garlic mix. 5. Fry until golden to dark brown. Be patient, this stage can take a while. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, paprika and salt. Cook until the oil separates or the mix looks shiny. 6. Add the water, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Add the meatballs one by one to the simmering (not boiling) sauce. Allow to simmer without the lid for about 20 minutes or so (Closing the lid sometimes makes the meat balls break up.), shaking the pan from time to time. 7. When meat balls are ready, any oil will separate and float to the top of the sauce. Add half the coriander leaves and garam masala, stir gently and transfer to a serving dish. 8. Garnish with remaining coriander and serve hot with freshly made chapattis, steamed rice or plain pilaf rice.
1. Put the eggs in cold water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. 2. In a large bowl together the lamb, garlic, ginger, chillies or chilli sauce, curry paste, peas and seasoning. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. 3. Carefully peel the eggs and place an egg in the middle of each portion and carefully wrap the mixture around until all the egg is covered in an even 1cm thickness of the mixture. Repeat with the remaining eggs. 4. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4, 180°C. 5. Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs into separate small bowls. Dip each Scotch egg into the flour, then egg and breadcrumb to coat. Transfer to a slightly greased ovenproof dish or a non-stick roasting tin and cook for 25 minutes. 6. Serve the eggs with a chilii mayo dip and a green salad.
KEEMA SCOTCH EGGS Serves 4
20 minutes
20 minutes
450g/1lb lamb mince 4 medium eggs 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 2.5cm/1inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped or 5ml/1tsp prepared minced ginger 1-2 small green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped or 5ml/1tsp hot chilli sauce 30ml/2tbsp curry paste of your choice 50g/2oz fresh or frozen peas, (thawed if using frozen) and mashed Salt and freshly milled black pepper Large handful freshly chopped coriander 50g/2oz plain flour 1 egg, beaten 75g/3oz fresh or dried breadcrumbs
KEEMA TACOS Serves 4-6 15 minutes
< 10 minutes
450g/1lb prepared lamb keema 150ml/¼pint good, hot lamb stock 1 lime or lemon, cut into quarters Small bunch freshly chopped coriander or mint 12 prepared taco shells
150ml/¼pint natural Greek yogurt 30ml/2tbsp mango chutney ½ small iceberg lettuce, shredded Freshly chopped coriander, to garnish
1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6, 200°C. 2. Put the keema in a large non-stick pan with the stock and heat for 3-4 minutes until piping hot, breaking up the mixture with a wooden spoon. 3. Meanwhile warm the taco shells according to the packet instructions. 4. Remove from the heat and stir through the juice from a quarter of the lime or lemon and the coriander. 5. In a small bowl mix together the yogurt and mango chutney. 6. Garnish each taco base with the lettuce and top with the keema. 7. Top with a dollop of the yogurt, garnish with the coriander and serve immediately.
KEEMA CHEESE TOASTIE Serves 1 10 minutes
< 10 minutes
150g/5½oz prepared lamb keema 50-75g/2-3oz grated cheese of your choice 1 small green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, optional 10ml/2tsp spreadable butter or margarine 1 small bunch freshly chopped coriander 2 bread slices of your choice Salad leaves, to garnish
1. In a small bowl mix together the cheese, chilli, if used and coriander. 2. Put the bread slices on a clean chopping board and butter the outside of each. 3. Sprinkle half the cheese over one bread slice and add the keema evenly (do not overfill).
4. Finish with the remaining cheese on top of the keema and add the remaining bread slice, buttered side up. 5. Transfer to a hot sandwich or panini toaster and cook until brown. 6. Cut and serve with a salad garnish and mango chutney or tomato ketchup.
KEEMA NACHOS Serves 4
20 minutes
20 minutes
450g/1lb prepared lamb keema 150ml/Ÿpint good, hot lamb stock ½ x 300g can chick peas, drained (optional) Large bunch coriander leaves 1 x 200g pack tortilla crisps 50-75g grated cheese 1 x 5floz natural or Greek set yogurt 30ml/2tbsp lime pickle or mango chutney
1. Preheat the grill to moderate. 2. Put the keema in a large nonstick pan with the stock and chick peas (if used) and heat for 3-4 minutes until piping hot, breaking up the mixture with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir through the coriander. 3. Arrange the tortilla chips on the base of a heatproof dish. Spoon over the keema and top with the cheese. 4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts. 5. Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together the yogurt and lime pickle or mango chutney. 6. Serve with the nachos.
KEEMA PUR EDDU Serves 4 5 minutes
3-4 minutes
350g/12oz prepared lamb keema 4 whole organic/free range eggs Salt and freshly milled black pepper
1. Spread the keema evenly in a medium frying pan and heat until hot. 2. Make four equal holes with the mince in the pan, Crack each egg the hole and cover the dish with a lid. Gently cook the eggs for about 3-4 minutes until soft. 3. Serve with crusty bread or with bread of your choice.
TIP BY PERVIN TODIWALA Wash the eggs and dry them. You can then make an indentation on the mince with the base of an egg.
375g/12oz prepared lamb keema
KEEMA FILLED PANCAKES
6-8 prepared plain pancakes 50-75g/2-3oz baby spinach leaves, roughly torn 50g/2oz Feta cheese, crumbled
Serves 4-6 10 minutes
Small handful freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley or coriander, optional Extra crumbled Feta cheese, to garnish
< 15 minutes
1. Put the prepared keema in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to break up the mixture. 2. Lay each pancake on a clean chopping board and spoon 30ml/2tbsp of the keema mixture down the centre. Add the spinach leaves and top with the Feta. Roll up and transfer to a lightly oiled heatproof dish.
3. Cook in a preheated oven at Gas mark 7, 220°C for10 minutes until piping hot. 4. Transfer the pancakes to warm plates, cut in half, sprinkle with the herbs if used and serve immediately with a cucumber and tomato salad.
TIP If preferred make your pancakes from scratch.
KEEMA HASH Serves 4 10 minutes
< 20 minutes
350g/12oz prepared lamb keema 15ml/1tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil 2-3 spring onions, finely chopped 450g/1lb cooked potatoes of your choice (can be roasted, boiled, with skin on) roughly chopped
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped, optional Salt and freshly milled black pepper 4 eggs 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped coriander or parsley, to garnish
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the spring onions over a low heat for 4-5 minutes until soft, but not brown. 2. Add the prepared keema, potatoes and tomatoes; press down and continue to cook for 10 minutes without disturbing to achieve a crispy base. 3. Season if required, divide into four portions and top with a fried egg. Garnish with freshly chopped herbs and serve immediately. 4. Garnish with freshly chopped herbs.
SHAHI KEEMA CURRY BY MAMTA GUPTA The word shah means a king or a monarch and the word shahi means food fit for a shah. This usually translates as a rich dish, the kind of luxurious food served to those with high status and money. Shahi dishes usually have a plenty of butter and cream and may also be enriched with dried fruits or nuts. Keema curry is a great choice for our mixed faith social gatherings as lamb is suitable for our friends of all religions, with the exception of vegetarians and I always have plenty of vegetable dishes on the table too! It can be served with rice, fresh chapattis, naan or any Middle Eastern flat bread. Leftovers are great on a jacket potato, stirred through a big bowl of pasta, stuffed into a hollowed out courgette, tomato or aubergine and baked, or rolled in flatbreads or tortillas to make Frankies - a popular Indian street food snack from Mumbai. Despite the long list of ingredients, this curry is easy to make and relatively inexpensive too. Use the best quality and freshest meat and spices you can find in order to get the best taste.
TIPS BY MAMTA GUPTA 1. Ground green cardamom is not readily available so grind and sieve whole green cardamom pods to make your own. The difference in flavour when using freshly ground cardamom is worth the effort! 2. Homemade garam masala made regularly in small batches (to a good recipe) is much more intense in flavour and aroma than many readymade brands, which are often bulked
with cheap fillers such as coriander and cumin. You may need more if using a less aromatic readymade blend but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well worth making your own instead. 3. Adding chilled cream or yoghurt to hot food can sometimes make it curdle, so take this out of the fridge half an hour before you start cooking.
SHAHI KEEMA CURRY Serves 4-6
15 minutes
30-35 minutes
450g/1lb lamb mince, regular not lean For the marinade: 2 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin ½-1 tsp ground chilli powder of your choice ½tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp ground green cardamom (see tips) ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp mild ground sweet paprika, for colour 1 tsp garam masala (see tips) A generous sprinkle of freshly ground nutmeg 1 tsp salt, or more to taste 1 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and finely grated 2-3 large garlic cloves, peeled, crushed or finely grated To cook: 3tbsp ghee or clarified butter 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped or grated 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped, mashed or blended (or substitute 300 grams good quality tinned chopped tomatoes) ½pint hot water To finish: 150ml/¼pint full fat sour cream or full fat thick natural yogurt, at room temperature 1 tsp garam masala, optional 2-3 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped 1 green chilli, finely chopped, optional
1. Put all the marinade ingredients and the lamb in a large bowl and mix together thoroughly. Cover and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to marinate. 2. Heat the ghee in a large heavybased pan and add the cumin seeds. As soon the as the cumin seeds start to sizzle add the onions. until medium brown, stirring constantly. Indian dishes require more browning of onions than traditionally recommended in western cooking so be patient, this stage takes time, often at least 15 minutes. 3. Add tomatoes and fry until they have become mushy and the oil begins to separate. 4. Fry until the meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes, using the back of a wooden spoon, spatula or potato masher to break up any clumps. 5. Add the water, turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the lamb is cooked. Adjust the seasoning, if required and add chilli, if using and add more if needed. Stir in the cream or yogurt and coriander. 6. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle garam masala over the top and close the lid for a few minutes. Before serving, garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and fresh green chilli. 7. Serve hot with rice, chapattis, naan or any Middle Eastern flat bread.
WHERE IS IT FROM? Lamb mince can be from a variety of different cuts of lamb,it is economical, flavoursome and perfect for batch cooking. HOW CAN I COOK IT? Lamb mince is very versatile due to its uniform size and shape. Its large surface area means that it cooks through fairly quickly so can be used in quickto-cook dishes, but it can also be used in dishes which take longer to cook. Lamb mince can also be moulded, meaning that it is popular as burgers and meatballs. WHAT ELSE COULD I USE? If you are looking for an alternative lamb cut that is quick to cook, why not try stir-fry strips? They are perfect for quick-tocook dishes like stir-frys and sandwiches.
COOKING WITH LAMB MINCE
WHAT DOES THE RED TRACTOR MEAN ?
The Keema Nans look out for a Quality mark like the Red Tractor logo on packs in their local supermarket and independent butchers. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why. The logo is a symbol which means that you will be buying farm assured quality meat. All beef and lamb carrying the Red Tractor logo can be traced back to the farms the livestock came from and you can be assured that the farmers and suppliers who produce beef and lamb with this symbol meet comprehensive standards covering hygiene, safety, environmental protection and animal welfare at every stage from farm to fork. Compliance with these strict standards is regularly checked by independent auditors. The flag on the Red Tractor logo identifies the country of origin, so if it carries the Union Flag you know it comes from a UK farm. For everything you need to know about beef and lamb, more recipe ideas and information about Red Tractor beef and lamb, please visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk
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T H E K E E M A S U T R A
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