Indian Ground Beef & Potatoes (Keema Alu)

As much as I love cooking, there are times when I am tired and so much is going on, that I just need something quick and easy.  I try to keep a few of these types of recipes on hand so that if I get in a bind time-wise, I can come up with something fast that doesn't require a zillion special ingredients.

I found this simple and delicious recipe over at Rainforest Recipes by using Food Blog Search.  This food blog is the creation of a Canadian  currently living in the jungles of Guatemala.

We both really enjoyed this simple meal. It was very warm and comforting - without all of the guilt of typical comfort food.  The Husband remarked that he was "really glad we're making more ethnic food". Haha :)  What's even better is how incredibly easy this was to make. If you're in hurry, but want to put a home-cooked meal on your table, THIS is the dish for you!

As always, I used ground venison in place of ground beef (it's a leaner alternative). 

The recipe calls for serving this with naan or pita, which though I am sure would be excellent, we are trying to be healthier and stay away from bread, so I served this by itself.  The recipe also suggests garnishing with cilantro, which I did, but I also drizzled Sriracha over top and put a small dollop of sour cream (fat free) on each. 

Indian Ground Beef & Potatoes (Keema Alu)

Serve this dish with some Indian naan or pita bread, or spoon it over rice for an easy one-dish meal.

3 Tbs clarified butter, or vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 -4 cloves garlic ; finely chopped
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
Cayenne, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb ground beef (I used venison)
1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes, drained (I used fresh tomatoes)
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup water
Cilantro, chopped

Heat the ghee in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat and saute the onion, garlic, and seasonings until the onions are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the beef and tomatoes and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the beef is browned and all the liquid had evaporated, leaving only the ghee. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the water, reduce the heat, and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Increase the heat, remove the cover, and cook until all the water has evaporated. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro. Serves 4 to 6.