Allo Qeema - Potatoes & Minced meat curry

Ask any Pakistani about Allo Qeema and he/she will tell you with a delightful smile as how they have enjoyed eating allo qeema since their childhood either with flat bread, naan, rice, paratha or with toast. Everyone has their own preference as how to enjoy allo qeema. The delight allo qeema brings to the table can only be experienced on a Pakistani dinner table. Ammi always used minced goat meat to make this at home. Minced beef is used as well. The leftover qeema is stuffed between the layers of toasted bread and enjoyed in the lunchbox or as a snack or eaten with a paratha the next morning. 

I am happy to share this Pakistani recipe that usually has the highest approval rating from everyone at home. The other variations of this dish include pairing qeema with peas, fried bitter gourd, fried okra and French beans. I prefer to eat it with home made chappati - flat bread or Tandoori Naan. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Oil – 5 tbsp ( i use Sunflower oil)

Minced beef – 250 gms (you can use goat mince as well) Wash it in a sieve lined with chiffon cloth before use)

Potatoes – 2 medium sized (Medium diced)

Tomatoes – 1 cup pureed (fresh)

Onions – 1 cup (finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp

Green chilies – 2 medium

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cinnamon stick – 2

Black Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 6-8

Whole Dried chili – 2-3

Chili powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – ½ tsp (adjust according to taste)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add onions and cook till they become translucent.
2. Add ginger garlic paste, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole dried chili, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms. Cook for a minute or so till the ginger garlic is cooked.
3. Add minced beef and cook on high heat till it changes color and water dries up. It will take around 10 mins.
4. Once the minced beef changes color, add tomato puree, chili powder, salt, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Mix thoroughly. Cook for 5 mins.
5. Add diced potatoes and green chilies (whole green chili for less heat, chopped for more heat).
6. Cook for 5 mins on high heat.
7. Add a cup (250 ml) of water to this mixture. Let it boil once and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan.
8. The potatoes should take 20-25 mins to cook. The water should dry up with very little juice in the pan which will look like gravy. The oil should separate from the gravy indicating the food has been cooked.
9. Dish out in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander. I love eating it with freshly made flat bred/chappati/roti.