Venison Keema

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This venison keema recipe is a Tom Kerridge one that appeared in the January BBC Good Food magazine - it's only available online via the App.   

I love keema curries...and most especially lamb samosas, so really fancied trying this recipe.   I would never have thought to use venison mince, but game takes on spice as well as any other meat and can be very quick to cook.

The end result is a delicious alternative keema dish - it's full of flavour from the spice mix or curry powder and can be made as spicy as you like!!

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How to make this Venison Keema

Ingredients

For the spice mix (see Tips):

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 0.5 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.5 cinnamon stick, broken up
• 2 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 dried bay leaves

For the keema:

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 500g venison mince (see Tips)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• a thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
• half a 400g can chopped tomatoes (freeze the rest) or 227g can chopped tomatoes, or use 2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 200ml water
• 1 to 3 green chillies (depending on how much heat you prefer), finely sliced
• 100g frozen peas or petit pois
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
• a handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

To serve (optional):

• naan
• chutney
• basmati rice

Instructions

1. To make the spice mix - put all the spices in a deep frying pan or shallow casserole and toast over a medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and crush to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar.
2. Drizzle the oil into the same pan and place over a medium high heat. Cook the venison mince for 10 minutes until crisp – if the meat releases some liquid while it cooks, keep cooking until the liquid evaporates and the mince starts to brown. Add the onion and sizzle everything for another 5 minutes until the onion has softened. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in the spice mix and tomatoes and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
3. Pour over 200ml water and bring to a simmer, then bubble for 5 to 6 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half. When the mixture is thick and saucy, scatter in the chillies and peas and warm through for 2 to 3 minutes, until the peas are completely defrosted. Season, then stir through the herbs just before serving. Serve with naan, chutney, and basmati rice, if you like.

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Venison Keema

By: Deborah

A delicious alternative keema that's full of flavour from the spice mix or curry powder and can be made as spicy as you like!

PREP: 10 minutes minutes

COOK: 30 minutes minutes

TOTAL: 40 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 people

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Ingredients

For the spice mix (see Notes):

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 0.5 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.5 cinnamon stick broken up
• 2 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods crushed
• 2 dried bay leaves

For the keema:

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 500 g (1.1 lb) venison mince (see Notes)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• a thumb-sized piece of ginger finely chopped
• 200 g (7 oz) chopped tomatoes or use 2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 200 ml (⅞ cup) water
• 1 to 3 green chillies (depending on how much heat you prefer) finely sliced
• 100 g (½ cup) frozen peas or petit pois
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a handful of mint leaves roughly chopped
• a handful of coriander leaves roughly chopped

To serve (optional):

• naan
• chutney
• basmati rice

Instructions

• To make the spice mix - put all the spices in a deep frying pan or shallow casserole and toast over a medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and crush to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar.
• Drizzle the oil into the same pan and place over a medium high heat. Cook the venison mince for 10 minutes until crisp – if the meat releases some liquid while it cooks, keep cooking until the liquid evaporates and the mince starts to brown. Add the onion and sizzle everything for another 5 minutes until the onion has softened. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in the spice mix and tomatoes and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
• Pour over 200ml water and bringto a simmer, then bubble for 5 to 6 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.When the mixture is thick and saucy, scatter in the chillies and peas and warmthrough for 2 to 3 minutes, until the peas are completely defrosted. Season,then stir through the herbs just before serving. Serve with naan, chutney, andbasmati rice, if you like.

Notes

• Make ahead – this keema can easily be made ahead, up to the point before you add the chillis and peas. Simply reheat the keema on the hob and then continue step 3.
• Batch cook and freeze – this keema freezes well, so make a batch if you like and freeze it in portions.
• Spice mix – if you don’t have enough time to make your own spice mix, just add 1 tbsp of your favourite curry powder instead.
• Mince – if you can’t get venison mince, lean beef or lamb mince can be used instead. I got venison mince from Costco and have also seen it in some Marks and Spencer Food Halls.
• Leftovers - any leftover mixture can be stuffed into venison samosas or venison curry puffs using a sheet of shop-bought puff pastry. Simply bake according to pack instructions.
• This venison keema recipe can easily be adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

 

You might also like to try:

• game dishes
• Indian dishes
• lamb keema
• turkey keema curry

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS batch cook, freezable, Indian curry, make ahead, Tom Kerridge, venison mince

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