Most chicken keema tastes of nothing. That is not a spice problem. It is a mince problem and a technique problem, in that order. Mince that has been sitting around steams rather than browns. The technique mistake compounds it: people add water and cook it low and slow, which gives you grey, bland mince in a watery gravy. This recipe fixes both.
FNF's Chicken Keema is minced from boneless chicken and frozen in 500 g packs, so it goes into the pan ready to brown. Browning is where all the flavour in a keema comes from.
What You Will Need
From FNF:
- FNF Chicken Keema (500 g)
From your kitchen:
- 1 large onion, very finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, pureed or finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander to finish
Method
- Heat oil in a wide heavy pan on medium-high. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter fully, about 30 seconds.
- Add the onion. Cook on medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes, until deeply golden: not just soft, deeply golden. This takes 10 minutes and cannot be rushed. It is the base of the dish.
- Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until the raw smell is gone.
- Add tomatoes. Cook until the oil begins to separate at the edges, another 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric, and red chilli. Stir for 1 minute on medium heat.
- Raise the heat to high. Add the keema. Break it up immediately with a spatula; you want individual grains, not lumps. Do not add water. Let it brown on high heat, stirring every minute, for 6 to 8 minutes. The keema will first release a little moisture, then that moisture will evaporate, and then it will begin to brown. Wait for the browning.
- Add peas. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Finish with garam masala and a handful of fresh coriander. Taste for salt. Serve with roti or rice.
Tips
- No water in the keema. Ever. Water stops the browning and you get the grey, boiled version everyone is trying to avoid. The moisture in the mince is enough.
- Use a wide pan, not a deep one. The more surface the keema touches, the faster and more evenly it browns. A deep pot traps steam and works against you.
- The onions matter more than anything else. Deeply golden onions give the gravy its body and sweetness. Pale onions give you a flat base that no amount of spice can fix.
More chicken: shop chicken breast, thigh and keema.
Order before 4 PM for same-day delivery across Delhi NCR. Free delivery on orders above ₹449.
