Keema Kaleji is a mouth-watering combination of mutton mince and liver that is hard to resist, especially if you have a special soft corner for mutton like me. Serve it with crispy and flaky lachha parathas, and your weekend lunch is sorted. Here is how to make it (gluten-free).
You can also try some of my other favorite keema recipes – Chicken Keema Masala, Methi Keema, and Keema Paratha.
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About Keema Kaleji
Keema Kaleji is a delicious non-vegetarian dish made using mutton mince and liver. Keema is a Hindi term used for minced mutton and kaleji for the liver.
To make this dish, keema, and kaleji are cooked along with onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, tomato puree, and everyday spices such as coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder. Masala cooked to perfection is the key to this mutton delicacy.
Before making this recipe, don’t forget to soak kaleji in milk, as it helps remove impurities, softens flavor, tenderizes the liver, and removes any bitterness.
You can substitute mutton liver with chicken liver to make this dish. The cooking time will be much less in this case.
If you are a vegetarian, don’t get disappointed! You can make a veg keema kaleji too. Yes, you read it right! Just substitute minced mutton with minced soya and kaleji with big pieces of aloo (potato), and I assure you that this dish will be a hit too.
This recipe can be made in a traditional stove pressure cooker or an instant pot. I am sharing both methods in the post below. Choose the one that suits you the best.
Keema kaleji recipe is gluten-free and can be easily doubled or tripled. I made this curry with my 6-quart instant pot (or 3-liter pressure cooker). If scaling, use a bigger instant pot (or pressure cooker). The time of cooking will remain the same.
Ingredients
Goat Mutton Keema (Mutton Mince) – You can get the mutton keema (minced goat meat) from the grocery store or butcher shop or make it home in a food processor using boneless mutton cubes.
You can also substitute mutton keema with lamb keema or chicken keema. The time of cooking will be less in the case of chicken keema.
If using packaged mince, there is no need to rinse it, but if you are getting it from a butcher shop, wash it well before using it in the recipe.
To wash the mince, add it to a mesh strainer and run it under running water. Keep rubbing it with your hand while washing. Drain the water very well and then use it.
Kaleji (Liver) – Soak mutton kaleji in milk to remove any trace of the animal’s bodily fluids. This is a necessary step that you should follow.
Oil & Ghee – I have used a combination of oil and ghee, which gives the curry a nice flavor. You can choose either of the two also.
Spice Powders – You will need basic Indian spices like Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
Tomato Puree – Tomato puree gives a nice tartness to the recipe. I like to use canned tomato puree as it is more concentrated than homemade puree.
Green Chilies – Adjust the green chilies as per your liking.
Others – Some basic ingredients required are black cardamom (badi elaichi), onions, ginger garlic paste, salt, lime juice, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
Add some crushed fried onions for a richer taste.
You can also add some saffron soaked in water.
How To Make Keema Kaleji
Wash 9 oz (250 g) mutton kaleji (liver) with water and cut it into 1-inch chunks if it’s not already cut.
Soak the pieces in 1 cup of milk and keep aside for 20 minutes.
Drain the milk and wash the kaleji well. This process will remove any bitterness from the kaleji.
Heat 4 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon ghee in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 3-4 crushed black cardamoms and fry for 3-4 seconds.
Add 1 and ½ cups of chopped onions and fry until they turn light brown (8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add 2 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste and fry till onions are golden brown (5-6 minutes).
Now add the kaleji to the cooker and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add 16 oz (450 g) of mutton keema and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add 4 tablespoon tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes.
Now add
- 3-4 green chilies (slit into half)
- 3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add 1 cup of water and mix well.
Close the lid of the cooker.
Cook for one whistle on high heat.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the cooker from heat, let the pressure release on its own, and then open the lid.
Add more water if the gravy looks thick, and cook for some time.
Check for salt and add more if required.
Add 1 teaspoon lime juice and mix well.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or phulka.
Instant Pot Keema Kaleji
Press SAUTE button and follow the steps until adding water to the pot.
Close the lid of the IP and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 20 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the IP.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the IP.
Add more water if the gravy looks thick, and cook for SAUTE or some time.
Check for salt and add more if required.
Add 1 teaspoon lime juice and mix well.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or phulka.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this curry with Indian bread like Naan, Laccha Paratha, Roti, or Tawa Paratha. It also pairs great with Pav and Bakarkhani Roti.
It tastes the best the next day, so making it a day earlier is best.
Storage Suggestions
You can refrigerate the curry in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
This curry freezes well too. Just transfer in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw over the counter for a few hours and reheat well before serving. Add more water if it has gotten too thick.
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Recipe Card
Keema Kaleji Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 ounce goat mutton kaleji ( liver) (250 g, cut into 1-inch chunks, rinsed.)
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 3-4 whole black cardamoms (crushed)
- 1-½ cups chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 16 ounce goat mutton keema (mince) (450 g)
- 4 tablespoons canned tomato puree (or 2 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup pureed fresh tomatoes)
- 3-4 green chilies (slit into half)
- 3 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoons turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoons garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Soak the kaleji pieces in milk and keep aside for 20 minutes.
- Drain the milk and wash the kaleji well. This process will remove any bitterness from the kaleji.
- Heat vegetable oil and ghee in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add crushed black cardamoms and fry for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions and fry until they turn light brown in color (8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger and garlic paste and fry till onions are golden brown in color (5-6 minutes).
- Now add the kaleji to the cooker and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add mutton keema and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add green chilies, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, and salt and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add 1 cup of water and mix well.
- Close the lid of the cooker.
- Cook for one whistle on high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release on its own and then open the lid.
- Add some more water if the gravy looks thick and cook for some time.
- Check for salt and add more if required.
- Add lime juice and mix well.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice or phulka.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!