Keema Pimento (Beef with Green Pepper)
Submitted by mvbpres
Keema pimento is a spiced Indian ground beef curry studded with strips of green pepper. Garam masala, cumin, cinnamon and chili build the warmth, with peppers added late so they keep their snap.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
40 minREADY
55 minKeema is Indian home cooking at its most comforting: spiced ground meat, fast and forgiving. This version pairs ground beef with sweet green bell pepper, and the order of operations is what makes it sing.
You fry the pepper strips briefly and pull them out, so they don’t go limp during the longer simmer. Then the onions cook down to golden, building a sweet base, before the garam masala, cumin, cinnamon and chili powder hit the pan. Toasting those spices in the oil for a couple of minutes blooms their aroma, which is the difference between flat and fragrant.
The browned beef goes back in and simmers with a splash of stock until tender and shot through with spice. The peppers rejoin only for the last ten minutes, so they hold a little snap and bright color. Serve over rice with chutneys and your favorite accompaniments.
Pro Tips
- Bloom the spices in the hot oil for the full two minutes; this wakes up the garam masala and cumin and deepens the whole dish.
- Brown the beef well and drain it before it goes back in, so the curry isn’t greasy.
- Add stock only a little at a time. Keema should be moist, not soupy.
- Pull the peppers after their quick fry and return them late, or they overcook into mush.
Variations
- Swap the beef for lamb, the more traditional keema meat, or ground turkey for a lighter dish.
- Stir in peas or diced potato in the last ten minutes for a heartier one-pot meal.
- Finish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime for brightness.
Ingredients
Directions
Brown meat, drain and set aside Fry the strips of green pepper in peanut oil for about one minute.
Take them out of the pan with a slotted spoon.
Fry the onions in the oil remaining in the pan until onions are golden brown.
Mix the salt and pepper with the spices and add to the onions.
Cook for two minutes, stirring all the time Stir in the meat, stir occasionally to make sure meat does not stick.
Add a little stock or water if necessary.
Cook for about 15 minutes, then add the green pepper and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Garnish with green pepper slices, serve with rice and a selection of accompaniments.
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