Qeema Matar Spicy Ground Beef with Green Peas

Warm, hearty, flavorful – it’s no wonder Qeema Matar is a staple on the dinner table in many South Asian cultures. It’s typically made with peas and minced lamb, but you can easily substitute with another meaty protein of your choice – like beef! Resembling a curry that’s loaded with spices and herbs, mop up the dish with naan or chippati bread, or serve over a beautiful bed of rice. Regardless, this is definitely a meal to enjoy with the whole family.

Qeema Matar

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 4-6 medium chopped tomatoes
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated or diced
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced (I buy the already fried ones from a Pakistani grocery store)
• 1 bag frozen or fresh peas
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/8 tsp red chili powder (more if you want to spice it up)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Place ground beef in a heavy-based saucepan or pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let the ground beef cook in its own fat until very little moisture remains in the pot (it’s really healthy because no additional cooking oil is required!).
2. Then, add the garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes and powdered spices. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until the ingredients are well blended.
3. Add the peas and half of the cilantro and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
4. Pour in the lemon juice, stirring constantly.
5. To finish it off, add the remaining cilantro or use it as a garnish (to make it really spicy, you can also add a diced jalapeño at this point).
6. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with rice.