Table & Traditions Recipes, rituals & real meals
About Favorites 0

North India (Punjab & the Mughlai belt) · Indian

Keema Matar (Punjabi Minced Lamb with Peas)

The North Indian comfort classic: lamb or mutton mince slow-fried into a deep, spiced masala with sweet green peas. The secret is the bhuna — searing the meat hard until the fat runs and the spices caramelize.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published August 2, 2026

A dark kadhai of keema matar — richly browned spiced lamb mince studded with bright green peas — glossy with ghee, garnished with julienned ginger and fresh coriander, warm side light, a roti and lemon wedge alongside.

A Mughal-era dish beloved across the Indian subcontinent — from Punjabi home kitchens to the Mughlai tables of Delhi and Lucknow, and just as cherished in Pakistan. 'Keema' (from the Persian for minced meat) with 'matar' (peas) is weeknight comfort food and Sunday-lunch treat in equal measure. No single city owns it; it belongs to the whole region.

Yield
Serves 4
Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr
Difficulty
Intermediate

Keema matar is North Indian comfort cooking at its most satisfying — lamb or mutton mince fried down into a dark, glossy masala shot through with sweet green peas. A Mughal-era dish (the word keema comes from the Persian for minced meat), it long ago spread from courtly kitchens into everyday homes across the subcontinent, from Punjab to Delhi to Lahore. It’s a weeknight staple and a Sunday-lunch treat at once, equally at home scooped up with roti or spooned over rice.

The bhuna is everything

If there’s one step that separates a great keema matar from a sad, grey one, it’s the bhuna — searing the mince hard in the spiced masala until every drop of released water cooks off and the meat browns. This is where the deep, roasted, almost nutty flavour comes from. Keep the heat up, break the mince apart, and be patient: you want the grains to separate and catch a little, not stew in their own liquid. Only once the meat is properly browned do you add water to finish the tenderizing.

Build the base properly

Everything rests on two foundations: deeply browned onions and a masala cooked until the oil splits. Take the onions all the way to golden brown for colour and sweetness, and cook the tomatoes and ground spices until you see the fat glisten at the edges of the pan. That oil-split is your signal the spices are no longer raw. Skip either shortcut and the dish tastes thin.

Peas at the end, garam masala later still

Green peas go in late so they stay bright and just-tender — a sweet, fresh counterpoint to the rich meat rather than a mushy afterthought. And the garam masala, ginger julienne and lemon are added right at the finish, off or near the heat, so they stay aromatic and lively.

Serve it with a stack of warm aloo paratha or alongside a bowl of matar paneer for a peas-two-ways spread. For more on building these gravies from the ground up, see our guide to North Indian cooking.

Ingredients

Serves
4

For the keema

  • 500 g (1 lb) lamb or mutton mince Around 15–20% fat is ideal — a little fat carries the spice and keeps the keema succulent. Goat mince is the most traditional; beef or chicken mince also work (see variations).
  • 1 cup green peas Fresh young peas are sweetest; frozen peas are excellent and need only a few minutes.
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped Chop fine so they melt into the gravy.
  • 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped or puréed
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste Roughly equal ginger and garlic, freshly pounded if you can.
  • 2 green chillies, slit Adjust to taste; deseed for less heat.
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 3 green cardamom pods
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder For colour without fierce heat; use regular chilli powder if you want more bite.
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala Added at the end to keep it aromatic.
  • to taste salt
  • 1 tbsp ginger, julienned
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

For the masala

  • 3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil Ghee gives the richest flavour; oil keeps it dairy-free.

Whole spices (for tempering)

  • 1 bay leaf

Ground spices

  • 1 tsp turmeric

To finish

  • 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Heat the ghee in a heavy pan or kadhai over medium heat and add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for 20–30 seconds until fragrant.

    Why: Blooming whole spices in hot fat releases their oil-soluble aromatics — this is the perfume that flavours everything added after.

  2. Add the onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 8–10 minutes.

    Why: Properly browned onions are the body of the gravy; their sugars caramelize and give the keema its dark colour and sweet-savoury depth. Rushing this leaves the dish pale and flat.

  3. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and cook for a minute until the raw smell disappears.

    Why: Cooking out the raw ginger-garlic prevents a sharp, acrid note in the finished dish.

  4. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder and salt. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes collapse and the oil separates and glistens at the edges, 6–8 minutes.

    Why: The oil rising to the surface (the 'oil-split') is the visual cue that the masala is properly cooked and the spices are no longer raw — the foundation of any good North Indian gravy.

  5. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the mince. Break it up and fry it hard — the bhuna — pressing and stirring for 8–10 minutes until the grains separate, brown, and any released water cooks off.

    Why: This searing step is what separates authentic keema from a grey, boiled mince. Driving off the moisture and browning the meat builds savoury, roasted flavour through the Maillard reaction; the keema should catch a little and smell nutty.

  6. Pour in about 1 cup of hot water, cover, and simmer on low for 12–15 minutes until the meat is tender.

    Why: A gentle simmer finishes tenderizing the mince and lets the masala meld into a cohesive gravy rather than sitting on top.

  7. Add the peas and cook uncovered for 5–7 minutes, until they're tender and the keema is thick and glossy with the fat separating again.

    Why: Adding peas late keeps them bright, sweet and just-tender rather than mushy — a fresh counterpoint to the rich meat.

  8. Sprinkle over the garam masala, most of the coriander, the julienned ginger and lemon juice. Stir, cook for a minute more, and rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.

    Why: Garam masala and lemon added at the very end stay fragrant and lively; a short rest lets the flavours settle and the fat re-emulsify.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Chicken keema

    Swap in chicken mince and cut the simmer to 8–10 minutes — it cooks faster and stays lighter. A squeeze more lemon at the end brightens it.

  • Beef keema

    Beef mince works beautifully and is common in Pakistani kitchens; keep the fat around 20% and give it a slightly longer simmer for tenderness.

  • Keema aloo (with potato)

    Add a diced potato along with the water; it soaks up the masala and stretches the dish. Reduce the peas slightly to balance.

  • Vegetarian 'keema'

    Use crumbled paneer, soy granules, or finely chopped mushrooms in place of meat — skip the long simmer and just bhuna until dry and browned.

Serving & Storage

Scoop it up hot with buttered roti, naan or a soft pav, or spoon it over plain basmati rice with a wedge of lemon and sliced onion. A cooling raita on the side rounds out the heat.

Pairs with: Roti or naan, Basmati rice, Aloo paratha, Cucumber raita, Sliced onion and lemon.

Storage: Keeps 3–4 days refrigerated and freezes well for up to 2 months — the flavour deepens overnight. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the gravy.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 serving (about 1/4 of the pan))

Calories
390
Protein
26 g
Carbs
15 g
Fat
26 g
Fiber
5 g
Sugar
6 g
Sodium
560 mg

Notable micronutrients: Iron, Zinc, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What meat is best for keema matar?

Traditionally goat or lamb (mutton) mince, ideally with around 15–20% fat so it stays juicy and carries the spices. Beef is common in Pakistani versions and chicken makes a lighter weeknight keema. Very lean mince tends to go dry and crumbly, so add a spoon of extra ghee if that's all you have.

Why is my keema watery instead of rich and dry?

The mince released moisture that wasn't cooked off. The fix is the bhuna: fry the meat on medium-high, breaking it up, until the water evaporates and the grains brown and separate before you add liquid. Finish uncovered so the gravy reduces and clings to the meat.

Fresh or frozen peas?

Both work well. Fresh young peas are sweetest in season; frozen peas are picked and frozen at their peak and only need a few minutes, so add them near the end either way to keep them bright and tender.

What to drink with this

All drinks →

Hand-picked pours to match this dish.

From our kitchen community

Ratings & Reviews

My Rating

Tap a star to rate — no sign-in, no form needed.

Be the first to rate Keema Matar (Punjabi Minced Lamb with Peas).

Further reading