Weeknight staple · One pan

Aloo Keema Recipe (Pakistani Mince and Potato)

Brown the mince. Bhuno well. Potatoes in time.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Aloo keema is a quick weeknight curry of spiced mince and potatoes. It fails when the mince boils in its own water and smells meaty, or the potatoes stay hard. The fix is browning the mince on high until dry, then cooking small potato cubes in the masala.

Prep15m
Cook35m
Servings4
kcal / serving420
LevelEasy
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of aloo keema

Why this recipe works

Brown the mince

Boiled mince

Browning removes the raw smell.

Small potato cubes

Big chunks

Small cubes cook in the same time.

Bhuno well

Raw masala

Fry until oil separates.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Keema

Potatoes and spices

The NineFoods keema gauge

Is the keema browned enough?

Look at the mince after frying. Tap the match.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 4 stages

Step by step

1

Onions

Medium · 6 min
  1. Fry onion in oil until light golden.
  2. Add ginger garlic paste.
Look for: light golden onions.
06:00
2

Brown keema

High · 8 min
  1. Add mince and fry, breaking lumps.
  2. Use the gauge above.
Look for: brown, crumbly mince.
08:00
3

Masala

Medium · 6 min
  1. Add tomatoes and spices and bhuno until oil separates.
Look for: oil at the edges.
06:00
4

Potatoes

Low, covered · 15 min
  1. Add potatoes and hot water, cover and cook.
  2. Finish with garam masala, chillies and coriander.
Look for: soft potatoes, thick masala.
15:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Not browned.

Fix next time

Fry on high until dry and brown; add ginger.

Why

Too much water.

Fix next time

Cook uncovered on high for 3 minutes.

Why

Cubes too big.

Fix next time

Cut smaller or cook 5 more minutes covered.

Why

Not broken up.

Fix next time

Mash with a spoon while browning.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
Beef minceMainChicken or mutton mince
PotatoesBodyPeas (keema matar)
TomatoesTangYogurt
OilBhunaiGhee

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Roti, paratha or naan.

Store

Fridge 3 days. Freezer 2 months.

Reheat

Fry in a pan with a splash of water; great as a paratha filling.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the keema browned enough) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Pakistani recipes10 Essential Pakistani Spices and How to Use ThemHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic Paste

Quick answers

Aloo Keema FAQ

How do I remove the smell from keema?

Brown it on high until dry and add ginger garlic paste.

Can I use chicken mince?

Yes. It cooks 5 minutes faster.

Can I add peas?

Yes. Add frozen peas for the last 5 minutes.

Can I freeze aloo keema?

Yes, though potatoes soften a little.