Indian · Authentic-ish Indian
Keema Matar
304 kcal a serving, against 528 for the traditional version. That is 224 kcal off, or 42%, with 31.6g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A rich and heavy curry made from fatty lamb mince fried hard in pools of ghee, spiced with cumin and coriander, bulked out with a handful of peas and cooked until the oil separates and floats on the surface.
What changed, and what each change costs
500g of standard lamb mince and 40g of ghee for 500g of lean cubed lamb and 10g of ghee
Pre-packaged lamb mince is aggressively fatty. By buying lean diced lamb and pulsing it down to a coarse mince yourself, you drop a massive amount of saturated fat. You control exactly what goes into the pan. Dropping the ghee removes even more heavy grease, relying on the natural flavour of the meat and spices instead.
What it costs you. You lose that incredibly rich mouthfeel that comes from eating rendered lamb fat and clarified butter. Lean meat needs more careful cooking, as it will dry out much faster than the fatty stuff.
150g of frozen peas up to 300g
Peas are a brilliant ingredient. They are cheap, they live in the freezer, and they pack in a surprising amount of bulk. Doubling the quantity stretches the meat much further and gives you a much better return on your dinner. They also add a pop of bright sweetness that cuts right through the earthy spices.
What it costs you. It shifts the balance of the pan entirely. Call it a genuine even split between meat and vegetables rather than a solid wall of meat with a few green dots scattered through it and you'll be about right.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 528 | 304 |
| Protein | 25.1g | 31.6g |
| Fat | 40.2g | 10.1g |
| Saturated fat | 18.9g | 4g |
| Carbohydrate | 16.7g | 21.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.8g | 10.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Indian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
This is a sharp, fiercely savoury curry that relies on spice rather than grease to do the heavy lifting. Making your own mince from lean lamb takes very little effort but completely changes the texture of the dish. You get all the comfort of a classic takeaway without the heavy oil slick. It hits the table fast, costs very little to make, and tastes brilliant.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Indian, along with 54 more. Buy the paperback