Cooking | Dhungaar-e-Keema or Smoked Lamb Mince
Dhungaar-e-Keema or Smoked Indian Lamb Mince is a quintessential recipe from the Indian subcontinent, one that is as simple as it is flavourful. The recipe is quite basic, the underlining key words characteristically ‘andaaz‘ and ‘bhuno‘, terms very familiar to how we cook in this region. Andaaz referring to eyeballing ingredients, and bhuno, the quintessential 'stirring and roasting’ that gives Indian cuisine its essential character.
Ingredients
Keema
- 500 g lamb mince
- 1 cup homemade full fat yoghurt whisked smooth
- 3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
Whole garam masala
- 1 cinnamon stick {dalchini}
- 3-4 cloves {long}
- 3-4 small green cardamom {elaichi}
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds {saunf}
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds {zeera}
- 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds {dhania}
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1 big bunch fresh coriander chopped
- 1 lime
- 3 tbsp Ghee/ clarified butter or oil
- 1 piece of coal
Instructions
- Heat some ghee/clarified butter in a heavy bottom and add the khara masala/whole spices and saute until fragrant. Throw in the chopped onions and stir fry until light golden brown on the edges. Add the ginger garlic and saute for a further 2-3 minutes, until the raw smell has disappeared.
- Now add all the chopped tomatoes and roast well until almost dry, then add the mince. Stir in well to mix, then roast over high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Season with salt.
- Then add the yogurt, stirring constantly to roast/bhuno until the yogurt has been absorbed and is no longer white. Cover the wok/pan with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to lowest, allowing the mince to slow cook in it's own juices.
- Check once in a while to make sure it isn't catching the bottom, giving it a quick stir. A heavy bottom good quality pan really works well here. cook until the liquid has evaporated and the colour is nice and reddish brown. As Sumayya says, 'bhuno-ing the keema is key!'
- Add loads of fresh chopped coriander and green chilies. Cover and allow to dam for a about 5 minutes, then turn off heat and let it stand. I f you wish to smoke the mince, please see instructions below.
- Smoking the Keema: Light up a piece of coal over the gas fire. Make a tiny bowl with an aluminium foil. Place the hot burning coal in it and quickly drizzle a few drops of melted ghee/clarified butter over it. The coal will begin smoking immediately. Tightly shut the lid and leave for about 15-30 minutes.