Authentic Keema Pulao Pakistani Recipe

There’s not much that can beat a delicious hot keema pulao! This traditional Pakistani rice pilaf is made with mincemeat and the finest Basmati rice. Different spices give it an unbeatable aroma and mouthwatering taste.

With my detailed recipe, you can learn to make this easy keema pulao in no time! I keep my recipes easy to follow, and the ingredient list won’t make you rush to your grocery store! Whether you are a new cook, a student who lives alone and needs help in the kitchen, or a new couple, you can make my simple Keema pulao recipe!

About Keema Pulao

Keema is mince meat in Urdu, and pulao is a rice dish such as the pilaf in many European and  Asian countries. Basically, you make a layered rice and keema dish called keema pulao or keema biryani. You cook the keema with numerous spices and aromatics, then layer it with boiled long-grain Basmati rice.

It’s an all-in-one dish and a complete meal: which means you can serve it on its own or with a salad or yogurt-based raita.

Here are some of my keema related recipes that you must try! Aloo keema, Kachay keeme ke kebab, and Keema naan, to name a few.

Reasons to love this recipe

• Keema Pulao is a delicious fusion of spicy, minced meat and fragrant, perfectly cooked rice. Combining hearty minced meat and aromatic rice means you will enjoy every bite.
• Looks can be deceiving! Although this recipe looks long, it is actually quite easy to make. It doesn’t require many steps, so beginners can easily make it.
• You can choose the type of ground meat you prefer: beef, chicken, or lamb. Furthermore, you can also adjust the spice levels to your liking by increasing or decreasing the amount of red chilli powder and green chillies.
• This dish is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for special occasions and gatherings. It doesn’t just taste good, it looks beautiful too!
• Although it is a treat on its own, you can take it up a notch by serving it with chutney made from tomatoes, green chillies, and coriander leaves. This refreshing chutney adds an extra oomph to this delicious meal.

For quantities, please read the recipe card below.

Instructions

Making Keema:

• Heat a sturdy pan and add the cooking oil. Then add the finely sliced onions.

• Sauté the onions on medium heat until they turn a rich golden brown. This can take about 10-12 minutes. Patience here is key for achieving the desired flavor.

• Now, introduce the minced meat to the pan, stirring continuously. Cook until the meat changes color and loses its pinkness.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to stir, frying for a few minutes until it loses its raw smell and becomes slightly golden.

• Add the finely chopped tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, and 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
• Next, uncover the pan, add green chillies, stir the mixture, and mash the tomatoes while you continue to cook. Cook the masala until the oil separates from the masala. Once you observe this separation, remove it from the heat. The keema masala is ready.

Making Rice

• Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain it.

• In a separate large pot, bring enough water to the boil so the rice will be well submerged. Add the whole black peppercorns, cloves, black cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and salt to season the water according to your taste.

• Once the water is boiling, add the drained rice and cook until it’s about 70-80% done. It should still have a slight bite to it. Drain the rice through a strainer or colander.

Hint: Be careful when boiling rice. The water and the steam emerging from it, are both very hot!

Assembling

• Assembling the keema pulao involves making layers of the prepared keema masala and boiled rice. This leads to an even distribution of the keema and rice. So you get a bit of both in every bite!
• Next, in a heavy-bottomed pot, layer the partially cooked rice with the prepared minced meat. This is done by adding a layer of rice, followed by a layer of the keema mixture, and then another layer of rice. Use all the rice and keema while layering until none is left.
• Sprinkle the food colour evenly over the top for an appealing presentation.
• Place the pot on “dum,” which is a slow-cooking method. Cover it with a tight-fitting lid and cook on very low heat for about 10 minutes. This slow-cooking method allows the flavours to meld and the rice to absorb the flavours of the keema fully and become super fluffy and soft.

Substitutions

• I always use beef keema for this pulao, but you can use either chicken or mutton/lamb keema if you prefer.
• You may use tinned or canned tomatoes if you don’t have any fresh.
• Although Basmati is best for pulao, you can use other rice varieties. The cooking time will change.

Variations

You can add vegetables of your choice to this pulao. Some favorites are:

• Potatoes
• Peas
• Carrots
• Bell peppers/capsicum

Add the vegetables when the keema is almost done cooking, and cook further till they become tender.

Top Tips

Here are some pro tips to help you make the perfect Keema Pulao:

1. Use the best quality ground meat, otherwise it will affect the taste.
2. When you wash the rice, keep washing till the water runs clear.
3. Always soak Basmati rice before cooking it.
4. When you layer the rice and keema, start with the keema, then add a layer of rice. Try to keep the layers even.
5. Cooking the rice on ‘dum’, which is the final step, is very important. It helps the flavours of the pulao to come together and fully cook the rice.

How to Serve Keema Pulao

This dish is a complete meal! You can eat it entirely on its own, and it will taste perfect. But, if you want to add an extra something, serve it with the chutney mentioned above or a cooling yoghurt, cucumber and mint raita. You can also add some fresh greens as a salad.

FAQ’s