Kheema Matar

Melt ghee or oil/fat of choice in a large skillet with a lid on medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, stirring until they become fragrant and start to crackle (less than a minute). Stir in onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, bay leaves and curry powder. Stir and cook 5 minutes or until onions start to soften but aren’t translucent.
Add tomatoes, stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Add coriander, chili powder, cumin, turmeric and salt. Stir thoroughly. Add beef or lamb, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat and cook until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add frozen peas, cover and simmer another 10 minutes until peas are hot. If too much liquid remains, increase the heat slightly and let the dish cook until the liquid reduces.

Serve warm with rice or a side of naan.

Recipe adapted from The Curry Cookbook by Parragon Books.

Note: Ghee is a clarified (milk proteins removed), unsalted butter commonly used in Asian cooking. You can find it in most large grocery store chains (even some WalMarts) in the Asian section or you can purchase it online with a quick Google search. I recommend using it over any other fat/oil for these types of dishes.