Keema Matar (Spiced Ground Beef with Peas)

Name: Keema Matar (Spiced Ground Beef with Peas)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: 450 g lean ground beef (10% fat); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 large onion; 1 tbsp garlic–ginger paste; 2 piece green chilies; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp red chili powder; 1.5 tsp salt; 2 piece tomato; 0.33 cup plain yogurt; 150 g frozen peas; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp fresh cilantro; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 0.5 tsp black pepper

A classic Pakistani keema — lean ground beef cooked with onions, tomatoes, spices and peas. High in protein, quick to make and excellent for training meal prep.

AI image

50 min

start to finish

15 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

Contains dairy. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

370 kcal32g protein8g carbs19g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Finely chop the onion, tomatoes, green chilies and cilantro and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle briefly until fragrant.
They should darken slightly but not burn.
Add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and sauté until golden brown.
Stir every minute so the onion browns evenly and develops sweet flavor.
Add the garlic–ginger paste and chopped green chilies and cook, stirring.
Sprinkle in ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and red chili powder and stir to coat the onions.
Add the ground beef to the pan and break it up with a spatula; cook until no longer pink and most liquid has evaporated.
Press and spread the meat occasionally to help it brown for better flavor.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, yogurt and salt.
Simmer uncovered until tomatoes soften and oil or moisture separates slightly from the mixture.
Add the peas, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until peas are cooked and flavors have melded.
Stir in garam masala, black pepper, lemon juice and chopped cilantro and cook briefly to combine.
Taste and adjust salt or lemon, then remove from heat and serve hot with rice, roti, or on meal-prep plates.

Worth knowing

For extra lean protein, use ground turkey or chicken but add 1 tbsp oil at the start to prevent dryness.
Brown the meat well — the browned bits add deep savory flavor to the keema.
Make a double batch and refrigerate in portioned containers for easy post-workout meals.
If you like a saucier keema, stir in 1/4 cup water after adding tomatoes and simmer a few minutes more.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

HalalHigh proteinMeal prep

More Pakistani cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Pakistani cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be halal as listed.