Melt-In-Your-Mouth Matar Keema (Ground Chicken with Peas)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Moist, melt-in-your-mouth ground chicken curry with tender peas cooked in creamy yogurt and variety of aromatic spices.
Author:
Recipe type: Main - Non-vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4-5 servings
Ingredients
  • 750 grams (1 ½ lbs)ground chicken
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
  • 6-7 cloves of garlic
  • 1-2 green chilies
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 black cardamoms
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 4 cloves
  • 8-10 black peppercorn
  • 1 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 cup cooked onion purée
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek) leaves, crushed
  • 2 pinches nutmeg (jaifal) powder (optional)
  • 2 pinches mace (jaivatri) powder(optional)
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp coriander powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Instructions
  1. In a blender purée tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies.
  2. In a medium heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bay leaf, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cloves, black peppercorns and cinnamon. Sauté slightly to infuse the oil.
  3. Add tomato purée, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric and salt. Cover and cook until oil starts to separate; stirring frequently.
  4. Add onion purée and cook again until oil starts to separate; stirring occasionally. Add ground chicken and mix really well to prevent the lumps from forming.
  5. Add yogurt and mix well. Cover and slow cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
  6. Add peas. Mix well. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
  7. Add dry methi leaves, nutmeg powder, mace powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and chopped fresh coriander. Mix and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  8. Transfer into a serving dish. Garnish with more fresh coriander.
  9. Serve hot with Plain Paratha, Tandoori Roti or Naan.
Notes
Kasoori methi leaves – Kasoori methi leaves are dried fenugreek leaves, available at some North-American supermarkets and easily available at all Indian grocery stores.
Recipe by Raj's Kitchen at https://www.rajskitchen.com/indian-punjabi-recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-matar-keema-ground-chicken-with-peas/