A P(l)easing Meal...

Keema or minced meat, has always one of my favourites. There's just something about the way all the spices and flavours get so well entwined with the ground meat that makes the dish a delight in every bite! Keema Matar (Ground meat with green Peas), is probably one of THE most popular keema dishes in Indian cuisine, second maybe to only kababs. When we were kids, my mom would mostly make keema, substituting potatoes for peas, since my little brother and sister weren't too fond of peas. Me, on the other hand, LOVE peas! I add peas in almost everything. And so its no surprise that when I cook keema, it definitely has to be with peas! Keema Matar (Ground Meat with Peas) Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground chicken 1 cup finely chopped onions 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1/2 cup water 1 cup frozen green peas 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 5-6 whole green cardamoms 1 cinnamon stick 1-2 dried bay leaves 7-8 whole black peppercorns 7-8 whole cloves 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp garam masala salt, to taste 2 tbsp cooking oil fresh chopped coriander leaves for garnish Method: Brown ground chicken in a non-stick pan and set aside. In the same pan, add cumin seeds, onions and green chillies, all the whole spices, and fry for 5-6 minutes till onions turn brown. Add tomatoes and cook till all the juices dry up and a thick paste is formed. Add salt, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, cumin powder, and cook till spices blend in well. Add browned chicken, water and peas, and cover cook for about 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with parathas!