Lamb with Potatoes and Peas (Kheema)
This traditional Punjabi dish is excellent served over rice. I usually make half a recipe for 2 people and use the leftovers including leftover rice to make a frittata.
This traditional Punjabi dish is excellent served over rice. I usually make half a recipe for 2 people and use the leftovers including leftover rice to make a frittata.
- Carbohydrate 111.004200833333 g
- Cholesterol 54.5066666666667 mg
- Fat 21.4624929166667 g
- Fiber 9.33604173819224 g
- Protein 26.04735875 g
- Saturated Fat 8.40720833333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (396g)
- Sodium 109.602 mg
- Sugar 101.668159095141 g
- Trans Fat 1.73961749999999 g
- Calories 741 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook lamb and onion over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onion is soft.
- Drain fat.
- Stir in spices, seasonings, potatoes and water.
- Cover and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.
- Stir occasionally to break up potato.
- Add peas and tomato and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve 1 cup of lamb mixture over 1/2 cup rice.
A raw ingredient manifest fails to reveal how moisture management dictates the final texture of Punjabi kheema. When ground lamb renders its fat alongside chopped onions over medium-high heat, the resulting pan-drippings act as a direct frying medium that toasts the dry curry powder and cayenne before any liquid is introduced. Understanding this thermal threshold prevents the meat from steaming prematurely and ensures the spices bloom rather than scorch.
- Drain excess rendered animal fat thoroughly after browning the meat so the subsequent water addition creates a controlled braise rather than a greasy emulsion.
- Stir the covered pan occasionally during the thirty-minute simmer because agitating the baking potatoes releases their starches, which naturally thicken the surrounding cooking liquid into a cohesive sauce.
- Incorporate the green peas and fresh tomatoes during the final five minutes of cooking to preserve the bright green chloroplastic pigments and cell-wall integrity of the legumes.
- Utilize fresh aromatics like ginger root and garlic cloves instead of dried powders if sharper, more pungent sulfur compounds are desired in the finished base.
Basmati grains absorb the spiced lamb juices efficiently when served immediately upon completion. Leftover portions maintain structural integrity when stored in airtight glass containers for up to three days.
