RECIPE: Beef Keema with Fried Onions

For the past two months I've been preparing meals for our farmers once a week.  Last week I made an Indian meal, and they requested some of the recipes.  (You can see a description of the meals I've prepared HERE.)

This recipe is one I prepare often because it's so easy.  It's from Madhur Jaffrey's excellent cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking.

Beef Keema with Fried Onions

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 medium size onion peeled and cut into very thin rings
4 T. ghee
2 bay leaves
1 3" long cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
1" square piece of fresh ginger finely chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
1 T. ground coriander
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. ground turmeric
2 T. plain yogurt
2 T. tomato sauce
2 pounds ground chuck
1/4 t. ground mace
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cayenne

Heat the ghee in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat.  Fry the sliced onions until dark brown but not burned.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Put the bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves into the hot oil.  When the bay leaves begin to darken and the cinnamon starts uncurling slightly, add the finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic.  Fry, stirring, for 10-12 minutes until the onions darken to a medium brown with darkish edges.  Lower heat a bit and add the coriander, cumin and turmeric.  Fry for about 2 minutes, stirring all the time.  Add the yogurt and cook, stirring another minute.  Now put in the tomato sauce and keep frying and stirring for 2-3 minutes.

Add the meat.  Raise the heat to medium and fry, breaking up all the lumps with the back of a slotted spoon, for 7-8 minutes.  Next put in the mace, nutmeg, salt, cayenne, and 1/2 c. water, and stir.  Bring to a boil, cover, turn flame down to low, and let simmer for 1 hour.  Stir every 10 minutes or so.

When meat is tender remove the cinnamon stick and serve, sprinkled with the browned onions.