Skinnymixer’s Keema Matar (Indian Beef Mince Curry) features in the Fast section of the cookbook SkinnyAsia 2.
If you’re looking for a curry you can get on the table FAST, meet Keema Matar.
It’s a quick, budget-friendly, drier-style curry packed with garlic, ginger, tomato and warming spices, with just enough heat to keep everyone happy.
And apparently it’s VERY kid friendly…
⭐ “Thumbs up from both tweens!”
⭐ “A silent dinner with requests to make it again.”
⭐ “One of the quickest, yummiest and super budget friendly meals I have made in quite a while.”
Even better, this is one of those recipes you can use in SO many ways. Serve it with rice, naan, papadums or yoghurt, pile leftovers onto toast or do what one clever tester did and turn it into Keema Curry Pies! 🤤
Just 7 minutes prep + 20 minutes cooking makes this a VERY handy recipe for busy nights.
If you want that more traditional, drier-style Keema Matar, we recommend the conventional method. Cooking it in a pan allows the mince and sauce to reduce and develop that lovely drier texture.
The Thermo cooker version is a little saucier, but makes a very easy and tasty midweek dinner.
Methods: Thermo cooker + Conventional
Bonus method: Slow Cooker
What is Keema Matar?
Keema Matar is a South Asian minced meat curry.
Keema refers to minced meat, while matar means peas. The dish is commonly made by cooking minced meat with peas, tomato, onion and aromatic spices.
Our version uses beef mince with green peas, tomato, garlic, ginger and a simple combination of spices for a fast family dinner.
What Does Keema Matar Taste Like?
Think savoury, warmly spiced and tomato-rich rather than creamy.
Our spice mix includes:
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Garam masala
- Smoked paprika
- Turmeric
- Optional cayenne pepper
Fresh garlic and ginger add plenty of flavour, while the peas bring little pops of sweetness throughout the curry.
The cayenne is completely optional, so you can adjust the heat depending on who you’re feeding.
What You’ll Need
The complete quantities and methods are in SkinnyAsia 2, but the main ingredients are simple:
- Beef mince
- Frozen peas
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Brown onion
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Stock Concentrate
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Garam masala
- Smoked paprika
- Turmeric
It’s made largely with everyday ingredients, making this a handy curry for busy nights.
Thermo Cooker or Conventional?
You can make Keema Matar both ways, but they give you a slightly different result.
For the more authentic drier-style curry, we prefer the conventional method.
Cooking the beef mince directly in a hot sauté pan allows it to brown properly before the tomato and other ingredients are added. The curry can then reduce until thick and concentrated.
The Thermo cooker method gives you a slightly saucier curry, but requires very little hands-on cooking and still makes a great quick dinner.
Choose whichever suits you on the night.
Can I Make Keema Matar in the Slow Cooker?
Yes. We’ve included a double-batch slow cooker variation in SkinnyAsia 2.
Sauté the garlic, onion, spices and mince first, then transfer everything except the peas to your slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6 hours, adding the peas for the final 15 minutes.
It’s a handy option if you’d rather get dinner started earlier in the day.
Dietary & Recipe Variations
LOW CARB / PALEO
Replace the peas with chopped green beans or diced cabbage.
SUPER SKINNY
Use chicken mince and halve the amount of oil. Season to taste before serving.
VEGETARIAN
Replace the beef mince with crumbled tofu.
LOW FODMAP
We’ve included swaps for the garlic and onion, along with garlic-infused olive oil and compliant Stock Concentrate.
HALVED / DOUBLED
The recipe can be halved or doubled using the conventional method.
What to Serve with Keema Matar
Serve your Keema Matar with rice and fresh tomato and cucumber.
We also love finishing it with:
- Fresh coriander
- Sliced green chilli
- Tomato wedges
- Sliced cucumber
The cool, fresh vegetables are a lovely contrast to the warm spices and rich beef curry.
For a lower-carb meal, simply swap the rice for cauliflower rice or your preferred alternative.
Get the Recipe
The complete Keema Matar (Indian Beef Mince Curry) recipe, including Thermo cooker, conventional and slow cooker methods, serving suggestions and dietary variations, is available in SkinnyAsia 2.
From the Testing Team
- Bron P. – Thumbs up from my family. Very familiar-tasting….I think my Sri Lankan mother or grandmother used to make mince like this.
- Michele G. – I made the vegetarian version using tofu last night. We added Greek yoghurt and I’m one of those people really like coriander so definitely added that. It was delicious. We also made the meat version, the family loved it. Served with Greek yoghurt and store bought naan.
- Susan R. – Absolutely delicious! We love a dry curry and this was perfect. Easy to cook and budget friendly. I used the conventional method.
- Katie H. – Thumbs up from both tweens! I used tinned corn as I had no frozen corn, and I heavily dislike peas.
- Deb D. – Used stove top and full spices. Definitely 4 generous serves or six smaller ones. Was a bit like savoury mince and not spicy. It will be great on toast!
- Kaz M. – Made it conventional cos we love a good dry curry! This is a flavour bomb! Absolutely delicious
- Joel W. – Winner, Winner, Keema Dinner!! A silent dinner with requests to make it again. Thicker than I expected but no complaints.
- Nicole K. – This was a winner with the kids. I made a double batch mostly following the conventional method so that I don’t have to cook tomorrow night!
- Paula M. – Cooked in the TM6 with Costco beef mince. Wasn’t oily or watery at all. Reminds me of the mince in samosas that my mum used to make when I was a kid(and a great idea to use up leftovers!)
- Tara L. – This was an absolute hit in our house. I used the conventional method and loved how quick this was to put together. Perfect midweek meal and extremely budget friendly. I used 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper and thought it was the perfect amount of heat.
- Kylie W. – Conventional style with zucchini instead of peas as we don’t do peas or beans. Really like the flavour of this, for us it will be a regular as its so quick with minimal ingredients & can be served in a multitude of ways. So excited for the rest of this book, first 2 I’ve made are 10/10.
- Nadine D. – Keema (Indian Beef Mince curry) pies. I made the recipe as written cooking the conventional method and made 12 normal size pies out of the recipe.
- Mark R. – Wow another one loved by all, it’s soo quick and easy! It tastes delicious. We served with some papadums and Greek yoghurt, this is going to be a regular.
- Rhonda R. – Sweet baby cheeses!! This was honestly one of the quickest, yummiest and super budget friendly meals I have made in quite a while. Incredibly delicious, not at all hot even with the 1/5 tsp cayenne pepper and will honestly be smashing this recipe!!
Some other Thermomix Mince recipes you might love:
Want to know more about SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook?
SkinnyAsia 2 is a collection of Thermomix & Conventional cooking recipes. All of our cookbooks have a strong focus on Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg Free, Low Carb, Paleo, Vegetarian and Low FODMAP.
Ingredients
- 500 g beef mince
- Stock Concentrate
- olive oil
- sugar of choice
- tin diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- frozen peas
- fresh ginger
- garlic
- brown onion
- cucumber
- green chilli
- tomato
- cayenne pepper
- coriander powder
- cumin powder
- garam masala
- smoked paprika
- turmeric powder
Instructions
- This recipe is exclusive to the SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook.
FAQs
What is the difference between Keema and Keema Matar?
Keema refers to minced meat and can describe a number of dishes made with it. Keema Matar specifically combines minced meat with peas (matar), usually cooked with onion, tomato and aromatic spices.
Should Keema Matar be a dry curry?
Keema Matar is generally a fairly dry, thick mince curry rather than a curry with lots of sauce. For this recipe, we recommend the conventional pan method if you prefer that drier texture. The Thermo cooker version will be slightly saucier but is a convenient option for an easy midweek dinner.