Want a really quick and easy weeknight dinner that also tastes amazing? Then this Easy Keema Rice is your answer! A delicious combination of rice, lamb mince, curry powder and frozen peas, this easy peasy, one pot lamb curry can be on the table in just 10 minutes and only uses 4 ingredients!
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One of my easiest ever recipes!
As you know, this website is all about recipes that are quick and easy to make but taste amazing… and this Easy Keema Rice really lives up to that philosophy – and then some!
It’s an utterly delicious combination of rice, lamb mince, curry powder and frozen peas, but only uses 1 pan and 4 ingredients…. and can be on the table in just 10 minutes!
How to make keema rice
All you need to do is fry lamb mince, then add a good quality curry powder (see below), cooked rice and frozen peas. Stir fry until everything is piping hot… and serve! It really doesn’t get easier than this.
(Full recipe given in the recipe card below.)
Packed with flavour!
But don’t think that, because it’s so quick and easy, you have to sacrifice on flavour. Quite this opposite, this recipe is packed with flavour and utterly delicious.
In fact, my 13 year old son cannot get enough of this. He loves it so much he keeps begging me to make it again and again! (I honestly can’t remember a time when he had such a strong positive reaction to one of my new recipes – especially not a savoury one!)
The trick to this recipe…
The first trick, and the reason why I can get away with so few ingredients, is using a good quality curry powder. A good curry powder will contain dried onion, garlic powder, chilli or cayenne for heat and a delicious blend of spices for flavour.
This means you don’t have to faff around chopping onions and chillies, grating garlic, or measuring out lots of separate spices.
Personally, my favourite is Schwarz Mild Curry Powder*. It has a really delicious mix of spices and no weird additives. It is a little on the mild side though, so if you prefer a bit more ‘oomph’, you might want to add some dried chilli flakes or use Schwarz Medium Curry Powder* instead.
My rice ‘cheat’
The second trick – and the reason why this is so speedy – is because I use pre-cooked basmati rice (sold as ‘microwave basmati rice’ in the supermarket).
This means I don’t have to faff around cooking / draining / cooling rice first. And it means this meal can be on the table in just 10 minutes!
But, if you prefer, you can use ordinary uncooked basmati rice instead. You will need to use approximately 170g uncooked rice. Cook according to packet instructions then cool the hot rice in a sieve under cold water until it’s properly cold, and drain thoroughly.
Top tip for microwave rice
If you use microwave rice, like me, be sure to break up the microwave rice by massaging it while it is still in the closed packet. This will ensure the cooked rice is beautifully separated and not in one big clump!
What to serve with keema rice
This Easy Peasy Keema Rice really is a meal in its own right. But if you want to add in a few ‘extras’, I recommend serving with naan bread, mango chutney* and lime pickle*.
What to drink with keema rice
This Lamb Keema Rice needs a robust and fruity red to stand up to its bold flavours. Good options include Southern French reds from the Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon regions, and similar Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre blends from other countries – like South Africa or Australia.
Alternatively Rioja, Douro reds and Zinfandel would also work well.
If you prefer rosé, a bold and fruity rosé would work well. However, I would not advise serving white wine with this dish.
Can you reheat keema rice?
I don’t recommend reheating keema rice. Rice can lead to food poisoning if reheated incorrectly, and it is never a good idea to reheat food that has already been reheated once before.
And besides, it’s so delicious, you are very unlikely to have any leftovers!
Can you freeze keema rice?
No, this dish is not suitable for freezing.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
Easy Keema Rice (Only 4 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 500 g lamb mince
- 6 teaspoons mild curry powder (See Note 1)
- 500 g cooked basmati rice (See Note 2)
- 150 g frozen peas
Optional extras
- Salt to taste (optional – see Note 3)
- Chilli flakes and/or sliced fresh red chilli (optional – see Note 4)
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick wok or a very large non-stick frying pan over a high heat for 1 minute.
- Add the lamb mince and stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until nicely browned. Breaking the lamb mince up as much as possible as you fry it.
- Drain off as much of the fat off as possible.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the curry powder. Continue stir-frying for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked rice and continue stir-frying for 3 minutes.
- Add the frozen peas and continue stir-frying for 2 more minutes, or until the peas are cooked.
- Serve on its own, or with naan bread, lime pickle and mango chutney
Notes
- Quantity of curry powder will depend hugely on the brand you use and your own personal tastes. Personally, I use 6-8 teaspoons of Schwartz Mild Curry Powder*. I recommend you err on the side of caution the first time you make this curry – you can always add more, but you can’t take it away!
- I use 2 x 250g / 9oz pouches of microwave basmati rice to speed up the cooking process and make this recipe even simpler. But, if you prefer, you can use ordinary uncooked basmati rice instead. You will need to use approximately 170g uncooked rice. Cook according to packet instructions then cool the hot rice in a sieve under cold water until it’s properly cold, and drain thoroughly. **TOP TIP: break up the microwave rice by massaging it while it is still in the closed packet. This will ensure the cooked rice is beautifully separated and not in one big clump!**
- I find using about a quarter teaspoon of salt really brings out the flavours in this dish
- Depending on how hot you like your food, you may like to add some additional chillies – either dried chilli flakes or sliced fresh red chillies.
- Not suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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*This blog post contains affiliate links, this means if you click on a link and go on to buy the product I recommend, I will get a small commission, but you will not be charged a penny more – thanks in advance!
Barbara Akhurst says
I have not yet had a chance to cook many of your recipes. I have tried the Hungarian goulash, which was absolutely fantastic.
I have also tried the Keema rice dish but, despite following the instructions to the letter, I found the dish was very dry and not enjoyable.
I will, of course, continue to try further recipes in the future, as I think the idea for the 4 week meal plan is such a good one.
Eb Gargano says
I am sorry you didn’t enjoy this dish. It is a drier style of curry, which I know is not to everyone’s taste. If you want to make it less dry you can drain off less fat, and the lamb fat will give the dish more moisture. But otherwise it’s hard to know what to suggest without completely changing the nature of the dish. (I guess you could add a little lamb stock or passata?) Really great to hear how much you enjoyed the goulash, though – that’s one of my favourites too! Eb 🙂