Keema Kaleji Recipe
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Keema kaleji is a flavorful North Indian dish made with minced meat and liver, cooked with aromatic spices. It’s hearty, spicy, and perfect with roti, naan, or paratha. Sharing my mom’s recipe for this delicious curry.
Quick Look: Keema Kaleji
Soaking Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: Approx. 680 per serving
Dietary Info: Gluten-free
Skill Level: Medium
Tools Needed: Stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
Table of Contents
Ask anyone from the Mathur community about their favorite mutton dish, and chances are they’ll say keema kaleji. The Mathur community is known for its love of non-veg food, especially mutton (goat meat). Whether it’s parties, get-togethers, weddings, or festivals, mutton is almost always on the menu.
This keema kaleji recipe was made very frequently in my parents’ house. Sometimes it was slightly dry and served as a snack with drinks; other times, it was a thick curry to be mopped up with laccha paratha, phulka, khamiri roti, or bakarkhani. You can also serve it with steamed rice, jeera rice, or biryani.
In this post, I am sharing my mom’s recipe. Serve it with any Indian bread for an indulgent meal!
What Is Keema Kaleji?
Keema is a Hindi term used for minced meat, and kaleji refers to the liver. Keema kaleji is a mouthwatering combination of minced meat and liver that is hard to resist. Serve it with any Indian bread, and your weekend lunch is sorted.
You can make this recipe in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. I share both methods below. Choose the one that suits you best. I make this curry in my 3-quart Instant Pot (or 3-liter pressure cooker). If you’re scaling up, use a bigger Instant Pot (or pressure cooker). The cooking time will remain the same.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Minced Meat (Keema) – In my house, we make this curry with goat meat mince. You can also use lamb mince or beef mince. The recipe will remain the same. You can buy the keema from an Indian or Pakistani grocery store or butcher shop, or make it at home in a food processor using boneless meat cubes.
- Kaleji (Liver) – You will need liver to make this keema kaleji recipe. It is also available at Indian or Pakistani grocery stores. I use goat liver, but lamb or beef liver works too.
- Oil and Ghee – I have used a combination of oil and ghee, which adds a nice flavor to the curry.
- Spice Powders – You will need basic Indian spices, such as Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
- Tomato Puree gives a nice tartness to the recipe. I like to use canned tomato puree as it is more concentrated than homemade puree. You can also use tomato paste instead of puree, but use half the amount. If both puree and paste are unavailable, then use 1 cup of pureed fresh tomatoes.
- Green Chilies – Adjust the number to your liking.
- Others – Some basic ingredients required are black cardamom (badi elaichi), red onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt, lime juice, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
Add ¼ cup of crushed fried onions along with spice powders for a richer-tasting curry.
You can also add a pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon of water to the ready curry if making it for a special occasion.
Notes
The liver has traces of the animal’s bodily fluids. If it’s not rinsed well (or briefly soaked), the curry develops a metallic smell and bitter aftertaste. So, make sure to clean it well.
Cut the kaleji into even-sized pieces. Uneven pieces cook at different rates; small pieces overcook while large ones stay raw in the middle.
If using packaged mince, there is no need to rinse it. However, if you are purchasing it from a local butcher shop that sells open meat, wash it thoroughly before using it in the recipe.
To wash the mince, place it in a mesh strainer and run it under cold running water. Keep rubbing it with your hand as you wash. Drain thoroughly, then use.
How To Make Keema Kaleji
Step 1: Wash 250 g of kaleji (liver) under running 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.
Step 2: Drain the milk, then thoroughly wash the kaleji.
Step 3: Heat 4 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Once the oil is hot, add 3-4 crushed black cardamoms and fry for 3-4 seconds.
Step 5: Add 1 ½ cups chopped red onions and cook until light brown (8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
Step 6: Add 2 teaspoons of ginger-garlic paste.
Step 7: Cook until the onions are golden brown (5-6 minutes).
Step 8: Now add the kaleji to the cooker and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Step 9: Add 500 g of keema and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
Step 10: Add 4 tablespoons of canned tomato puree (or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste or 1 cup pureed fresh tomatoes) and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 11: Now add the following ingredients and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- 3-4 green chilies (slit in half)
- 3 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step 12: Add 1 cup water and mix well.
Step 13: Close the cooker lid.
Step 14: Cook for one whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat, let the pressure release naturally, and then open the lid. Add more water if the gravy looks thick, then cook for a while.
Step 15: Check for salt and add more if required. Add 1 teaspoon lime juice and mix well.
Step 16: Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Instant Pot Keema Kaleji
- Press the SAUTE button and follow the steps until adding water to the pot.
- Close the IP lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- 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, then open the IP lid.
- Release the remaining pressure manually, then open the IP lid.
- Add more water if the gravy looks too thick, and cook for a while longer.
- 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.
Storage Suggestions
Store keema kaleji in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until hot, then serve.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
Keema Kaleji FAQs
Yes, you can, but it will be a totally different recipe, as chicken liver and keema cook much faster than goat, lamb, or beef.
Avoid overcooking the kaleji. Cook it just until tender, as prolonged cooking can make it chewy. The time given in my recipe mostly works well, so try to stick to it.
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Keema Kaleji Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 grams goat mutton kaleji (liver) (cut into 1-inch pieces, rinsed. You can also use lamb or beef liver.)
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 3-4 black cardamoms (crushed)
- 1 and ½ cups chopped red onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- 500 grams goat mutton keema (mince) (you can also use lamb or beef mince)
- 4 tablespoons canned tomato puree (or 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 cup pureed fresh tomatoes)
- 3-4 green chilies (slit in half)
- 3 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 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 them aside for 20 minutes.
- Drain the milk, then thoroughly wash the kaleji.
- Heat 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 cook until light brown (8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until the onions are golden brown (5-6 minutes).
- Now add the kaleji to the cooker and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add keema and cook for 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 cooker lid.
- Cook for one whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat, let the pressure release naturally, and then open the lid. Add more water if the gravy looks thick, then cook for a while.
- Check for salt and add more if required.
- Add lime juice and mix well.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
