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Aaloo Keema or Keema Aloo top down view garnished with onions and cilantro
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Aloo Keema - Tips for the BEST Keema (Pakistani)

Let me teach you to make authentic Pakistani Aloo Keema (or Keema Aloo!) withlean ground beef and potatoes. I share helpful tips and tricks for foolproof flavour! Rich tasting meat, creamy potatoes, and that zing of brightness—a must make for good reason! 
Course Main Course
Cuisine Pakistani
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Author Sarah Mir

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ¼-1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 small diced onion
  • 1 inch piece cinnamon
  • 2-4 whole cloves
  • 6-8 whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 ½ tbsp ginger (see notes)
  • 1 ½ tbsp garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder add more for a spicier qeema
  • ¾ tsp coriander powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 3 to matoes diced
  • 1 large potato or 2 small - approximately 1 cup cut it into slim 2 cm big pieces
  • 1 tsp of garam masala
  • 3-4 chillies - sliced halved, or left whole
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • a few squeezes of lemon juice
  • julienned or minced ginger (optional)

Instructions

  • Take your Keema out of the fridge and open up any packaging
  • Warm a wok on medium heat and add your oil
  • When the oil is hot add your whole spices - cumin seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon - cook for about 30 seconds or until you can see the cumin seeds darken
  • Add your diced onion and cook until the edges are golden brown
    Chopped onions are being sautéed and browned in oil in a black frying pan on a stovetop, the perfect start for Aloo Keema. In the background, a bowl of diced potatoes sits on a woven mat.
  • Now stir in your ginger and garlic paste, saute for a minute
    Chopped onions are being sautéed in a black frying pan with oil and stirred with a wooden spoon—a key step in preparing Aloo Keema. In the background, there is a glass bowl with chopped potatoes.
  • Turn the heat up and add your keema, stirring it frequently to evenly brown the meat.
    Ground beef is being cooked in a black skillet on a stovetop for a classic Aloo Keema, with steam rising from the qeema. In the background, a bowl of sliced potatoes sits slightly out of focus.
  • Add all your spices except the garam masala and mix well.
    A hand holds a small bowl with three types of ground spices over a pan of browning Qeema for Aloo Keema on a stovetop. In the background, a bowl of sliced ingredients is partially visible.
  • Saute your Keema on medium high heat until it becomes nicely browned - this takes a good 7-8 minutes.
    A black frying pan on a stovetop filled with cooked Qeema, steam rising; in the background, a glass bowl contains chopped potatoes on a woven mat, hinting at an Aloo Keema recipe in progress.
  • Now add your chopped tomatoes and potatoes, and a cup of water and bring to a boil.
    A pot with a glass lid simmers a savory mixture like Aloo Keema, diced tomatoes, vegetables, and chunks of butter or cheese on the stovetop. Steam and condensation gather on the lid as it cooks.
  • Simmer until your potatoes are almost tender (varies across potatoes but usually 10 minutes is enough here) - I leave a tiny bit of a bite so that they don't overcook and fall apart as I dry mine out.
    A steaming pan filled with a hearty Aloo Keema stew, featuring ground meat, potatoes, tomatoes, and beans, cooking on a stovetop.
  • Adjust the consistency of the Keema to your liking - adding more water for a more gravy like keema or drying it up.
  • Now add your garam masala, a squeeze of lemon, half the diced chilies, half the cilantro, and additional ginger (if using). Give it a quick mix then adjust seasoning.
    Ground beef and diced potatoes simmer in a tomato-based sauce inside a deep skillet, creating a classic Aloo Keema. A wooden spoon stirs the mixture as steam rises from this hot, hearty qeema dish.
  • Serve topped with remaining chilies and cilantro. I love it with roti/naan/paratha but you can eat it with rice as well.
    A pan filled with spiced ground meat and potato chunks—classic Aloo Keema—in a rich tomato-based sauce, garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and thin slices of ginger. Steam rises from this hot qeema dish.

Video

Notes

  • in this dish fresh ginger makes a HUGE difference, if you have the time then mince 2 tbsp of ginger by hand. You can then skip adding it at the end since it retains that nice feisty crunch