Kheema Fry – First Among Equals – The Kheema Chronicles - 1

At the very onset let me say, we Parsi’s don’t say Qeema or Keema, we call it Kheema or Kheemo. Now that I’ve cleared this (evil grin) let’s move on. I cooked Kheema three ways; Kheema Fry and two other recipes.

I will post individual recipes for each variation of kheema. That will lessen the confusion when it comes to searching for the recipes. The process photographs, at my blog, for all three recipes (base recipe), will be similar. There will be many extra process photographs and videos, though, for the other two.

This is the main, base recipe from which emerged the other two. Let’s get cookin’, eh! 😊

Ingredients:

1 kilo lamb kheema (goat or beef will also work)

6 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine (optional)

1-inch ginger, chopped fine (optional)

3 green chilies, finely chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 inches cinnamon

10 black peppercorns

3 cloves

3 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste

4-5 heaped teaspoons red chili powder (I use MDH Deghi Mirch powder)

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander-cumin powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

2 teaspoons Parsi sambhar masala (optional)

Salt to taste

7 - 8 large tomatoes, halve, grate the pulpy side, discard skin

1 + 1 handful coriander leaves, chopped

10 - 15 mint leaves, chopped

8 – 10 tablespoons oil or as desired (But it’s Kheema FRY, remember?) *evil grin*

Method:

1.    Wash the kheema in a colander or a sieve. Leave aside.

2.    Heat oil in a large wok/kadhai. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves and allow to splutter.

3.    Add green chilies, chopped ginger, chopped garlic and sauté for a few seconds.

4.    Add onions and continue frying until the onions turn golden brown.

5.    Add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, pepper powder, Parsi sambhar masala, a teaspoon salt and sauté for a few seconds to roast the masala well (do not allow the spices to burn).

6.    Add the grated tomatoes and mix them well with the spice mixture.

7.    Allow the tomatoes to cook until it is rid of the raw tomato smell and oil separates.

8.    Add the first handful of chopped coriander leaves and the mint leaves. Sauté for few seconds.

9.    Add the washed kheema and mix well into the spicy tomato mix.

10. Keep sautéing the kheema until all of it is nicely blended with the masala and the raw kheema loses it lumpy texture.

11. Add 1 – 1½ cups water, lower the flame, cover the wok-kadhai and continue cooking.

12. Check to see if the kheema is cooked, and if done, continue cooking (uncovered) to dry up the left-over water content in the kheema.

13. Check seasoning (salt).

14. After the water content dries up, continue cooking the kheema for a few minutes more as this is when the kheema begins to fry in the residual oil.

15. Once the desired fried texture-consistency is achieved, add in the second handful of chopped coriander leaves, give the kheema a mix and take the wok off the stove.

16. Serve Irani restaurant style with fries, boiled or fried egg, thinly sliced onions, lime wedges and crisp butter-fried pau (small soft bread). Sigh… bliss!

Chef Notes:

1.    If 1 kilo Kheema seems a bit much for your family, please feel free to halve the quantity of each ingredient and continue with the method as mentioned.

2.    The finely chopped ginger and garlic is optional because I had this quantity peeled and ready from another dish that I’d been cooking, and I did not want it going waste. Feel free to omit it if you so wish.

3.    In case you omit the chopped ginger and garlic and if you doubt whether the ginger-garlic paste will suffice, feel free to add a teaspoon more. The flavour will not differ. I promise!

4.    In case you don’t have Parsi sambhar masala in your pantry, you may increase the chili powder a wee bit. Parsi sambhar masala is available online (Mangal Masalas) and this masala and many others are also couriered, pan India, by Katy Messman. The homemade ones by Katy are, of course, way better. I have them couriered to Pune all the way from Surat. Been doing so for years.

5.    Please do use a good quantity of oil as it is in this oil that the kheema will fry at the end of the cook. I’m not saying go completely overboard, but I’d request you not to be stingy.

6.    If you do not wish to grate the tomatoes, chopping them will work too. The same technique applies, though, cook until the tomatoes are mushy and don’t give off the raw smell and until oil separates. I would NOT RECOMMEND pureeing them in a mixer.

7.    The fried texture of the kheema is entirely up to you. I like this kheema well sautéed/fried, but, if you prefer a lighter version, feel free to fry it to the texture that feels right to you.

8.    You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes, and/or my photographs, on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.

Some more photographs: