Doi Keema Matar - Minced Meat & Peas in a Yogurt Sauce

Doi Keema Matar

A really easy minced meat curry made with ground lamb, beef or chicken and green peas that tastes great as a stuffing for pita pocket sandwiches or served over steamed Basmati rice or with tortillas/chapatis.

I use my pressure cooker whenever I can to cook meat because it takes less time and seals in all the flavors. If cooking this in a saucepan is more convenient, make sure to simmer over medium heat for at least 45 minutes in Step 10.

Ingredients:

1 lb. minced lamb, beef or chicken

1 cup frozen peas

½ tsp. shah jeera or cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 large black cardamoms

2 large onions, diced

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 (6 oz.) tub of Greek yogurt

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp. Kashmiri mirch or chili powder to taste

1 Tbsp. ginger paste

1 Tbsp. garlic paste

1/4 tsp. Bengali garam masala powder

1 green chili, finely diced

2 cups hot beef or chicken broth

salt to taste

1 bunch mint, minced

1/2 bunch cilantro, minced

1 tsp. ghee or butter

1/2 tsp. sugar

Directions:

1. Brown minced meat with salt to taste and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker over high heat and sputter shah jeera, cinnamon stick and cardamoms.
3. Add chopped onion, green chili and fry until onions turn translucent.  Do not brown the onions.
4. Add ginger & garlic pastes, turmeric and Kashmiri mirch, stir well and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, stir again and cook until tomatoes break down.
6. Add browned chicken, along with mint and stir well.
7. Turn heat off, add yogurt a tablespoon at a time and stir into chicken.
8. Return cooker to medium heat and simmer until oil resurfaces.
9. Add half the hot chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and bring to full pressure.  
10. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes, remove from heat and allow all the pressure to release.
11. Adjust salt to taste, stir in sugar and remaining hot broth and stir well.
12. Garnish with garam masala, ghee and cilantro and serve with hot basmati rice, naan or tortilla.