Shimla Mirch Keema

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 500 g beef mince, preferably not too lean
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup hot water
• 3 medium green capsicums (shimla mirch), cut into 2 cm squares
• 3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Add the chopped onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown at the edges. Lower the heat if they darken too fast.
3. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.
4. Add the mince and press out any lumps with the back of your spoon. Fry on medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink and the liquid it releases has mostly evaporated.
5. Add the tomatoes, yogurt, salt, chilli powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes break down and oil separates and shimmers at the edges of the masala.
6. Pour in the hot water, scrape up anything stuck to the base, then cover and simmer on low heat until the mince is completely tender and the sauce is thick.
7. Add the capsicum and green chillies, mix well and cook uncovered on medium heat, stirring now and then, until the capsicum is just tender but still holds its colour and a little bite.
8. Sprinkle over the garam masala and ginger matchsticks, stir once and switch off the heat. Cover and rest for 5 minutes, then scatter with fresh coriander.

Tips

• Add the capsicum only at the end. Cooked from the start, it turns grey-green and soft and loses its fresh flavour.
• Use mince with a little fat, about 15 to 20 percent. Very lean mince turns dry and crumbly in this dish.
• Keep frying the masala until oil clearly separates. This step gives the keema its depth, so do not rush it.
• Cut the capsicum into even pieces so it cooks at the same rate.