A one-pot, simple, yet flavorful traditional North Indian curry dish made with minced lamb. In this version the keema – which directly translates as mince – is prepared with the addition of parsnips instead of white potatoes for a lower calorie yet higher fiber twist
Lamb Keema with Parsnips & Peas
Being Welsh I obviously adore lamb, and in my British ignorance of other countries farming & livestock was astonished to discover that lamb isn’t a particularly popular meat in America. In fact I’ve met a few people on my travels in California who’ve hardly cooked or eaten it before. Lamb does seem to have a prominent place on upmarket restaurant menus though, and is available in the supermarket, all be it in teeny quantities compared to the vast array of beef. Organic & grass-fed lamb does tend to be a little more expensive than the same quality beef so by buying mince (often the most economical choice) you get the best deal.
So, with getting a good dose of lamb in very much on my mind I brainstormed for a new recipe that wasn’t plain ole burgers, meatballs, or something I’d already cooked. The idea of a lamb curry sprung to mind. I made some funky additions to the traditional recipe such as using parsnip instead of the sometimes featured white potato. Parsnip added a lovely soft sweetness to the dish, is lower in calories yet higher in fibre than white potatoes. It may not be authentic Indian cuisine but was incredibly tasty all the same.
What’s the verdict on parsnips? Love ’em or hate ’em?
- 1 Tbs Ghee
- 1 medium onion, small dice
- Fragrant minced paste made from 2 garlic cloves, ½ inch ginger, ½ inch fresh turmeric, 1 green Serrano chili (de-seeded), pinch salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1& ½ tsp garam masala (see note)
- 1 lb (450g) organic grass-fed ground lamb
- 1 Tbs tomato paste
- 4 medium tomatoes, de-seeded & small dice (approx. 1 cup)
- 1 cup (250mls) hot vegetable stock
- 2 medium parsnips, small dice (approx. 3 cups)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup peas (115g), fresh or frozen and thawed
- ½ cup (small handful) fresh cilantro, chopped
- Melt the ghee in a wide deep saucepan (approx. 10 “ x 3”) over a medium heat. Fry the onion until softened (7-8 mins), then add the fragrant paste and fry for a further 2-3 few minutes until also softened. Next add the coriander, cumin and garam masala spices to the pan, stir well for 1-2 minutes as the spices release their fragrance.
- Now add the mince to the pan breaking it up with your wooden spoon. Once the meat is browned all over (approx. 10 mins) add the tomato paste and stir thoroughly to coat the meat. Then add tomatoes, stock, parsnips and salt. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for 30 mins until the lamb is cooked through (the meat itself should reach 160°F – though admittedly this is difficult to decipher in a minced stew), the parsnips are tender and the sauce has thickened. 5 mins prior to end of cooking add the peas. If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the lid towards the end of cooking to allow some of the juice to evaporate. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Stir half the fresh cilantro through the dish, and scatter the rest on top when you are ready to serve. For the daring you might also like to garnish with extra sliced green chili.
- Serve with a side of greens or grains such brown or basmati rice. For a paleo alternative you could serve cauliflower rice. A further tasty addition could be a cooling cucumber & yoghurt raita to offset the heat of the curry
-Serve with cauliflower rice, on its own, or with some steamed greens.
Lamb is one of my favourites too. How strange that it’s not so common in the States. This looks delicious, by the way – wonderfully tender.
Thanks Skye – I know – It astounded me too! Glad you enjoy the recipe and thanks for stopping by!
Hello Ceri,
I’ve taken the plunge, and this is the first ‘paleo’ recipe i’ve followed. I LOVED it.
I was blown away by how well it turned out – thank you.
Hi Gabrielle – congrats on taking the plunge! So thrilled you found my recipe, enjoyed it and found time to stop by and say thank you! Many more cracking recipes out there so get cooking!!! 🙂
I am Anglo Indian, so well used to cooking curry. Try roasting the parsnips first. I always use cubed lamb, but I’m sure mince would work just as well. If you pre roast the parsnips it intensifies the flavour as they are caramelised. Try it and let my know how you get on. Best Curry I ever made
sounds good!
Just wanted to drop by and say that this dish has become one of my go-to favourites. I discovered it about a year ago and probably make it about once a fortnight. I love it. Lamb is my favourite meat (coming from New Zealand I guess that makes sense!), Parsnip and Peas are divine and the spices and flavours are amazing! Well done with this one and thank you x
Thank you Jayme. Its so lovely for you to take the time and let me know. So often I put recipes out there – recipes I love – and have no idea whether the time I spent devising a recipe and taking time to share it with you all was worth it. Looks like this one was, and thrilled to hear its a go-to for you! Keep up the healthy cooking and thank you for reading! x