Venison Keema Curry (Print)

Bold ground venison with aromatic Indian spices, tomatoes, peas, and warming garam masala. Ready in 1 hour.

# Ingredients:

→ 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 tbsp vegetable oil
09 - 1 tsp cumin seeds
10 - 2 tsp ground coriander
11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tsp garam masala
13 - 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
14 - 0.5 tsp chili powder
15 - 0.5 tsp 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf, sautéing until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
02 - Add chopped onion, ginger, and garlic to the pan. Cook until the onion achieves a golden brown color, about 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in the optional green chili and diced tomatoes. Continue cooking until tomatoes soften and oil begins to separate from the mixture, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Add ground venison to the pan, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook until completely browned, about 7 minutes.
05 - Sprinkle ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, and salt over the venison. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat the meat.
06 - Pour in water or beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Add peas and garam masala to the curry. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce reaches desired thickness.
08 - Sample the curry and adjust seasoning with additional salt or spices as needed.
09 - Transfer the curry to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon wedges. Serve hot with basmati rice, naan, or roti.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Venison's natural gaminess gets tamed and celebrated by aromatic spices that taste like a hug from inside.
  • It's gluten-free and dairy-free without tasting like you're missing anything, which means everyone at the table feels included.
  • The entire dish comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for a weeknight when you want something that tastes impressive.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting the cumin seeds at the beginning; they taste completely different when bloomed in oil versus just stirred in dry.
  • Venison is very lean, so if you add dairy like yogurt or coconut milk at the end, it makes the curry richer without needing it to taste right—try a small spoonful first before committing the whole amount.
03 -
  • Brown your venison properly before adding liquids—this step builds flavor through the Maillard reaction and shouldn't be rushed or skipped.
  • Taste the curry in the last few minutes and add lemon juice or extra salt in small increments rather than all at once, since seasonings can surprise you as the curry concentrates.
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