Kiddie friendly! Kheema with peas

 

 

Well, friendly if your kids like peas. Lola does, Finn doesn't. Regular readers of this blog will not be surprised by this information as he seems to have an aversion to anything 'green'. But, he persevered with this meal, skillfully eating around the peas and therefore giving this simple dish a thumbs up. And rightly so, for it is an easy and tasty dish and a good way of introducing your children to some restrained Indian spicing. And if you are one of those who prefers something a little more punchy, then you could always up the chilli...

 

It's funny; I have many cookery books, some of which were 'must haves' or so I thought when I bought/was given them but somehow you find yourself actually not cooking much from them, and then there are those cookbooks that you pick up on a whim, or that you unearth in a second hand bookshop (if you're me) or buy because it's a bargain and you're a bit compulsive about cookery books in general (this might be just me again)  but I am so glad that I happened upon Jill Dupleix's books in one of the haphazard ways I have just described. Initially a whimsical buy, but now I am a convert. Her meals are fresh, simple and delicious and it's telling that the books that she has written are some of the more well thumbed ones on my shelves. This is her recipe from her book, 'Lighten Up'.

 

Kheema with Peas taken from 'Lighten Up' by Jill Dupleix

 

Serves Lola, Finn, Mum, Dad and one other

 

Ingredients:

 

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

750g lean minced lamb or beef (I used lamb)

2 tbsp tomato puree

250ml water or stock (I used lamb stock)

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes*

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

200g podded peas, fresh or frozen

1-2 tsp garam masala

3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

* adjust the chilli according to family taste

 

Method:

 

Heat the oil in a frying pan.

 

 

Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until light golden. Add the ginger and garlic, stirring well, than add meat and fry for 5 mins until browned.

 

 

Add the tomato puree, water (stock), coriander, chilli, turmeric, salt and pepper, stirring well. Cover and cook gently for 20 mins.

 

 

Uncover, add the peas and garam masala and simmer until the peas are cooked and the kheema is thick and saucy.

 

 

 

Scatter with coriander and serve.