Aloo Keema with Ground Beef

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Ground Beef
• 2 potatoes, in small dice
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp ghee or oil
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or 4 cloves garlic + 1 inch ginger, minced)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp each: cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala
• ½ tsp chili powder (or a whole green chili)
• ½ cup peas (optional)
• Cilantro + naan or rice

Method

1. Brown the onion in the ghee over medium-high until golden — not just soft; the color is flavor currency in Pakistani cooking. 6–8 minutes.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir 1 minute, then the tomatoes and all the spices except garam masala. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the oil separates at the edges, 5–6 minutes — the 'bhunai' stage; don't rush it.
3. Add the Ground Beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink (160°F for ground meat), then the potatoes and a cup of water.
4. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce clings rather than pools. Add the peas for the last 5.
5. Finish with the garam masala and cilantro. Serve with naan or rice — and expect the leftovers to taste even more sure of themselves tomorrow.