Vegan Green Keemna - a meatless spin on the Indian minced meat curry using a blend of lentils and walnuts simmered in a fragrant herby spicy sauce. Vegan Mumbai Hara Keema. Glutenfree Soy-free! Nutfree option

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the green sauce:

  • 1 cup packed cilantro
  • 1/2 cup frozen spinach
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed mint, (optional, or use more cilantro)
  • 1 whole green chili (such as serrano or Indian green chili (or use 2 tbsp green bell pepper instead for mild))
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds or ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds or use ground cumin
  • 1 green cardamom pod or use 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns or use 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup water

For the Keema:

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 green chili minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or use minced ginger and garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 3/4 cup split red lentils (masoor dal) (soaked in hot water for at least an hour)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (chopped into a coarse meal)
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup non dairy yogurt (or use cashew cream or coconut cream)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup green peas
  • chopped red bell pepper or tomato for garnish

Method

  1. Soak your dried split red lentils, if you haven’t already. They need to soak for at least 30 mins in hot water. Prep them ahead.
  2. Make the green sauce. Add all the ingredients to a blender and then blend until the seeds have broken down. Set aside.
  3. Make the keema. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add onion, green chili, and fenugreek leaves and mix well. Add a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is golden. 6-8 mins
  4. Then add the ginger garlic paste, spices- dill, ground coriander, and garam masala and mix in for a 10-15 seconds. Then add in your drained lentils and mix well. (I like to cook the lentils for 2-3 mins here slightly toast the lentils but this is optional)
  5. Then add the walnuts and 1/2 a cup of water and cook. Mix really well and cook for about five minutes.
  6. Add the non dairy yogurt, salt, and green sauce paste. Mix well. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then add in the peas and mix in. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
  7. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes then take off the heat. You don’t want the lentils to completely soften and break down. You want them to have a bit of a meaty bite. Cook until your preferred texture of lentils.
  8. The lentils and the walnuts are supposed to make a mincemeat kind of texture. But you can also cook them down because the sauce is really delicious any which way.
  9. Garnish with chopped bell pepper or tomato, red pepper flakes, and a little bit of lemon juice, and serve with flatbread or dinner rolls, or garlic bread. or add to pita bread or over pizza.
  10. Store refrigerated for upto 3 days. Freeze for upto a month.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.