Venison Keema Curry (Printer-Friendly)

Rich venison curry with aromatic spices, tender ground meat, and warming flavors. Ready in 1 hour.

# What You Need:

→ Meat

01 - 1.1 lb ground venison

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch piece ginger, grated
05 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
06 - 1 green chili, finely chopped
07 - 3.5 oz frozen peas

→ Spices

08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon garam masala
13 - 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
14 - 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Liquids

18 - 6.8 fl oz water or beef stock

→ Garnish

19 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf, sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
02 - Add chopped onion, ginger, and garlic to the skillet. Cook until onion turns golden brown, approximately 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Stir in green chili and diced tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes soften and oil begins to separate from the mixture, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Add ground venison, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until browned throughout, approximately 7 minutes, ensuring no pink remains.
05 - Sprinkle ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, and salt over the meat. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat.
06 - Pour water or beef stock into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
07 - Add peas and garam masala. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until curry reaches desired thickness and peas are heated through.
08 - Taste the curry and adjust salt, spices, or heat level as preferred before serving.
09 - Transfer curry to serving dishes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lemon wedges alongside.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns lean venison into something deeply satisfying without any gamey aftertaste.
  • The spices build slowly, filling your kitchen with warmth that lingers long after dinner.
  • It reheats beautifully, tasting even better the next day when the flavors have married.
  • You can adjust the heat and richness to fit your mood or your crowd.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the onions properly, pale onions make a flat, one note curry.
  • Add the garam masala near the end, not at the start, or its delicate fragrance will cook off.
  • If the curry looks dry, add a splash of water or stock rather than cranking up the heat.
  • Venison is leaner than beef, so avoid overcooking or it can turn grainy and tough.
03 -
  • Toast your whole spices in a dry pan before grinding them yourself, the difference in fragrance is stunning.
  • Let the curry rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving, it gives the flavors time to settle and the sauce time to thicken.
  • Always taste and adjust at the end, every batch of spices and every cut of meat behaves a little differently.
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