Beef Keema with Yogurt

This beef keema gets its creamy texture and slight tartness from being prepared with yogurt instead of tomatoes. It's a great recipe for keema lovers who are looking to switch up their recipe rotation.

About this Recipe

Beef keema is one of my favorite South Asian dishes. I normally prepare it with a tomato and onion base (see Kulsoom's recipe here), and so was intrigued when I found a recipe in the Salt'n Pepper Village cookbook that completely omitted tomatoes. The book's recipe instead asks for a generous amount of yogurt that adds both tartness and creaminess to the dish.

The Salt'n Pepper Village cookbook is one of the many Pakistani cookbooks that I brought back from Islamabad this August. Pakistani food bloggers often talk about the dearth of Pakistani cookbooks and so I went on a bit of a hunt this time to find some (Mr. Books has a surprisingly good collection FYI). This cookbook by the founder of the Salt'n Pepper restaurant empire, Mahmood Akbar, is definitely one of the more comprehensive and interesting ones I picked up. It focuses on traditional Pakistani recipes but features a mix of popular and unusual dishes (think chicken tikka alongside green tomato curry).

Tips to Make Beef Keema

• The quality of the meat matters! Since the dish requires few ingredients, it really pays to buy quality beef. I would also recommend draining the meat to remove blood and squeezing excess water from it before preparing it.
• Many people are nervous about cooking with yogurt due to the risk of curdling. You can prevent that by letting the yogurt come to room temperature before adding it, lowering the heat of the saucepan, and adding it right towards the end of the dish.
• You can adjust the level of oil and water in the dish depending on your preference. Just keep an eye on the beef as it cooks, stirring every few minutes to ensure that it's not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

A Note on Heat

I halved the water used to cook the keema in this updated recipe based on feedback I received from a reader about the consistency of the keema and how it came out too watery. However, I would like to caution that results can vary greatly based on the pot you use and whether you are using a gas or electric stove. I would recommend adjusting the heat and timing based on your experience with the pot you are using and the stove.

Beef Keema with Yogurt (Ground Beef)

This rich beef keema gets its creamy texture and slight tartness from being cooked with yogurt instead of tomatoes. It's a great recipe for keema lovers who are looking to switch up their recipe rotation.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Pakistani Cuisine

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• 1 Heavy bottom pot

Ingredients

  

• ⅓ cup neutral oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 black cardamom
• 4 cloves
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced in half rings
• 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
• 2 to 4 bird's eye chilies or to taste sliced lengthwise
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 cup full-fat yogurt whisked and brought to room temperature

Instructions

 

• Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot. Once it begins to shimmer, add whole spices (bay leaf, black cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick) and fry on medium to medium-low heat for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Add onions and sauté until evenly brown for 7 to 12 minutes.
• Add crushed ginger and garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Take care not to let it burn. Stir in green chilies.
• Add ground spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin and red chili powder) fry for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water (1 tablespoon at a time) if and as needed.
• Increase heat to medium to medium high, and add ground beef and salt. Crumble with wooden spatula and fry until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• Add ½ cup room temperature water and bring to a simmer. Lower heat, cover and let the beef cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Once done, remove cover and let it simmer to boil out any excess moisture. Check for salt and adjust as needed.
• Fold in yogurt and stir continuously on medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes until the oil begins to separate from the keema and you get the desired texture.
• Remove from heat, place in serving platter and garnish with finely chopped cilantro and chilies. Serve with roti or plain basmati rice.

Keyword gluten free, ground meat