Think beef giniling, but curry. Simple, comforting, full-flavored beef keema will surely have you reaching for a second round of rice.
Keema, the weeknight staple beloved in many South Asian households, delivers bold flavors by simmering ground meat—beef in this case—with curry spices and tomatoes. Whether you’re scooping it up with warm flatbread or plopping it over rice, beef keema offers a simple, comforting meal that never disappoints.
This recipe serves beef keema like your favorite college shawarma joint: with a quick side salad, the non-negotiable garlic yogurt sauce, and fluffy, buttery rice.
Keema adapts to whatever ground meat you have on hand: chicken, lamb if you’re fancy, even plant-based ground meat if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Add it to your rotation of ground meat recipes with good old giniling, arroz a la cubana, and Thai pad kra pao.
Here's one tip for beef keema: For maximum flavor, you want a good sear on your ground beef.
Searing requires medium-high heat and a good glug of oil to keep your meat from sticking. Set your pan dry on your stove, let it heat up for 2–3 minutes, then add your oil.
Once your oil starts to shimmer, add your beef and DON'T TOUCH IT. Leave it alone until a brown crust forms at the bottom. Once it's browned, that's when you can start breaking up the beef into smaller pieces, stirring until evenly cooked through.
Cook beef: Heat neutral oil in a sauté pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add ground beef to the pan. Use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break up the beef into smaller chunks. Avoid stirring and let beef cook undisturbed to properly sear the bottom, about 4–5 minutes.
Once beef is seared, use your wooden spoon to break up the beef into even smaller pieces. Avoid stirring continuously; instead, let beef cook untouched for 1 minute, stir, let cook for another minute, stir again, and so on until beef is evenly browned and no longer pink. Remove beef from the pan, leaving all the rendered fat.
Cook aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, onions, and ginger to the leftover fat in the pan. (Add more neutral oil if it looks dry.) Cook, stirring frequently, until onions turn translucent. Add curry powder, cinnamon, and cumin. Let spices bloom in the oil, undisturbed, about 3–5 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to brown, about 1–2 minutes.
Cook tomatoes: Add tomatoes and water to the pan. Cook until tomatoes are jammy, about 5 minutes.
Finish beef: Add browned beef to pan and stir to combine into the sauce. Season with soy sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust as needed. Set aside.
Make garlic yogurt sauce: Combine yogurt, grated garlic, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk until garlic is well incorporated into the yogurt. Set aside.
Make side salad: Combine onions, Japanese cucumber, and tomatoes in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over the vegetables, toss, then set aside.
Make buttered rice: Combine freshly cooked basmati rice and butter. Stir and fluff the rice while the residual heat slowly melts the butter, coating the grains evenly.
Serve: Garnish beef keema with minced cilantro (if using). Serve beef keema, garlic yogurt sauce, side salad, and buttered rice beside each other or all in one plate.
