Indian/Pakistani Ground Meat & Peas: Keema Mattar

The roots of this dish seem to date back at least a few hundred years to a time when the Muslim Mughals (see "Word History" below) controlled a good part of the Indian subcontinent; thus, the dish can also be made with ground ('keema' means 'mince,' sometimes now spelled 'qeema') beef, as well as either ground lamb or ground goat, with the latter two especially used by Hindus, as cows are respected in Hinduism, even among many Hindus who are not vegetarians. The general dish likely predates the tomato and chili pepper ingredients, the inclusion of which would have had to have been later, as tomatoes and chili peppers didn't arrive in India until the 1500s, taken there by the Portuguese from the New World. The Portuguese established a colony in western India (Goa).     

In England and other parts of Britain the term "coriander" is common for the parsley like plant, while in American English the term for the same plant is "cilantro," a borrowing from Spanish, and I dare say, many Americans would not likely know what you meant if you said "coriander."  

This dish is commonly served with rice and/or Indian breads, like chapati, naan or paratha, which is a layered bread "similar to," but not the same as, puff pastry.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds ground lamb or ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or chopped
2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter (ghee)
2  jalapeño or serrano chilies, chopped
2/3 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (like cayenne pepper)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cups water 
1 1/2 cups peas
4 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), divided use  

In a large skillet, heat the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves, saute about 30 to 45 seconds, then add the onion and cook about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chilies, ground red pepper, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and cook for about another 4 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook for about 5 minutes. Mix the tomato paste with the water and add to the skillet, stirring to mix everything together well. Let the curry come to a boil, then reduce the heat a bit to keep the curry at a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until the meat is cooked, then add the peas and cook 6 to 8 minutes until they are cooked. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped coriander/cilantro, then garnish each serving with some chopped coriander/cilantro.
 
With paratha bread, a layered flatbread ...  

WORD HISTORY:
Mogul-This word, meaning "rich and powerful person, usually a business person," goes back to the Persian form for "Mongol," usually transliterated as "Mughal." The Mughals established an empire in southern Asia in the 1500s, and their leaders claimed a heritage dating back to Mongol ruler Genghis Khan; thus, the connection to "Mongol." The Mughal emperor had the world famous Taj Mahal built in India during the 1600s. The word was borrowed into English in the second half of the 1600s, but the idea of the rich and powerful "Mughal" emperors in India led English to the meaning of a rich and powerful person, as "mogul."