Chicken Keema Pasta

Pasta has got to be one of the easiest and most versatile dishes out there. Like many dishes from other cuisines, I gave it an Indian twist to come up with this Chicken Keema Pasta many years ago.

Over the years this desi -style pasta has become a family favorite. The meat sauce is basically curried ground chicken known as Keema Matar. It contains  Indian spices such as garam masala, turmeric, red chilly powder and coriander powder along with other staple ingredients of Indian curries. I add extra onion, tomatoes and tomato paste to the Keema to give it a saucy consistency.

If you have leftover Keema Matar you can use it up for this pasta. Just fry some onion, add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste . Cook till the tomatoes are soft. Add the leftover keema and adjust seasoning. Add to cooked pasta.

You can easily substitute lean ground beef or mutton in place of chicken. You can also add any veggies of your choice and give it a new look by using different kinds of pasta such as spaghetti or macaroni. We like to have this pasta with a fresh salad such as this Healthy Garden Salad.

Chicken Keema Pasta

 

Ingredients:

500 grams/17.6 oz Pasta , freshly boiled and drained

450 grams/ 1 pound ground chicken

3 tablespoons cooking oil

1 tablespoon Whole Garam Masala ( 2 Green Cardamoms, 1 Black Cardamom, 1 inch Cinnamon, 1 Bay leaf, 2 Cloves)

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Garlic Paste

1 teaspoon Ginger paste

3 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped

1 170 g/6 oz can Tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Powder/Red chilly Powder or according to taste

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon Coriander powder

1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

Salt, according to taste

1/2 cup Frozen Peas

1/2 Bell Pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons Cilantro, chopped

 

Method:

1. Heat oil and fry the chopped bell pepper for a few minutes until it softens a bit. Take out the fried bell pepper with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
2. In the same oil add the whole spices ( green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cloves).
3. When spices begin to splutter add the chopped onion and fry for a few minutes until it turns golden brown.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a few seconds until the raw smell disappears.
5. Add ground chicken along with all the powdered spices (cayenne powder/red chilly powder, turmeric, coriander and salt) except garam masala powder. Keep stirring until the chicken is almost dry.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Sauté for a few minutes until tomatoes start getting soft.
7. Cover the pot and simmer until chicken is almost cooked. Add a few tablespoons of water, if required.
8. Rinse the frozen peas. Add peas, fried bell pepper and chopped cilantro to the ground chicken curry sauce/keema. Cook until the meat and vegetables are properly cooked and the mixture attains the consistency of a thick sauce. Sprinkle garam masala powder.
9. Discard bay leaf and other whole spices. Add chicken mixture to the boiled pasta. Serve hot.

 

I am linking this post to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop hosted by Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen

 

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