Kheema (Indian Ground Beef & Peas)

Indian food never ceases to surprise me, it's amazing. It never tastes like what it looks like (being a relative newbie), but way more often than not it's even better!

I used the recipe from Aarti's Party here. This was mildly fragrant and delicious, the subtle zing from the tiny bit of malt vinegar fits perfectly with the spices and the sweetness of the peas and tomatos! This is a pretty easy dish good for introducing Indian flavor to kids or adults that might be finicky. Dare I call it the Indian Sloppy Joe?

Probably not, but here's hoping Aarti and the Food Network don't mind me reposting the recipe here:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1-inch thumb) fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade garam masala, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, optional
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shucked fresh English peas or 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 teaspoons malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few extra leaves for garnish
• 4 chapatis or pitas, warmed

Directions

In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for another minute. Stir in the coriander, paprika, garam masala, cumin and cayenne, if using and cook for 1 minute.

Add the beef, breaking up lumps with a spoon, and saute until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of water and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the fresh English peas. Stir well and simmer, partially covered, about 10 minutes or if using frozen peas, add them now, and cook another 5 minutes, partially covered.

Stir in the vinegar and chopped cilantro. Garnish with torn cilantro leaves and serve with warm chapatis or pita bread.