Spiced Minced Meat Filling (Kheema)

Spiced Minced Meat Filling (Kheema)

This versatile Parsi-style minced meat filling serves as the savory foundation for classic snacks like samosas, patties, and pancakes. Finely minced meat is slow-cooked with a generous amount of onions, aromatic ginger, garlic, and fresh herbs until the moisture evaporates, resulting in a concentrated, flavorful mixture. The addition of Worcestershire sauce at the end provides a tangy depth that perfectly balances the richness of the ghee and spices.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Minced meat (lamb, mutton, or beef) (Originally '1 ratal cleaned meat minced very fine'.)
  • 1 pound Onions (Finely chopped.)
  • 1/2 cup Ghee (Originally '1/4 ratal' (approx 115g).)
  • 2 teaspoons Salt (Originally '1 tola' (approx 11-12g).)
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger paste (Originally '1 tola' ginger (approx 11-12g).)
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic paste (Originally '1/4 tola' garlic (approx 3g).)
  • 1 cup Fresh coriander leaves (Originally '3 bunches'. Chopped.)
  • 3 whole Green chilies (Finely minced.)
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Flat spoonful.)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper (Originally 'bhari' (likely 'mari' meaning pepper). Flat spoonful.)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Originally 'velati sauce' (English sauce). Adjust to taste.)

Instructions

  1. 1Peel the onions and chop them very finely. Divide the chopped onions into three equal parts. Set one part aside for frying and keep the remaining two parts for mixing with the meat.
  2. 2In a large bowl, combine the minced meat, salt, and the two parts of chopped onions (reserved from the previous step). Mix everything thoroughly with clean hands until well combined.
  3. 3Wash the coriander leaves and green chilies thoroughly and dry them. Chop the coriander leaves and mince the green chilies finely. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic into a paste.
  4. 4Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or skillet. Add the remaining one part of chopped onions (set aside in step 1) and fry until they turn pale golden. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté until the mixture turns reddish-golden and fragrant.
  5. 5Add the meat and onion mixture to the pan along with the turmeric and black pepper. Mix well with a spoon. Cover the pan and cook on low heat (originally 'on embers').
  6. 6Uncover frequently to stir and break up any lumps of meat and onion with the back of the spoon. Continue cooking until the liquid released by the onions and meat evaporates. When the mixture is nearly dry but still moist, stir in the chopped coriander and green chilies.
  7. 7Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is completely dry (no loose liquid) but the meat remains soft and tender. Remove from heat. Once cooled, stir in Worcestershire sauce to taste. The filling is now ready to be used for patties, samosas, or pancakes.
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