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Vegan Keema Madras with lentils. Keema is usually a minced meat dish made with combination of spices to add a complex flavor. This Keema uses red lentils. Serve this with flatbread, rice or with dosa, appam. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Recipe Nut-free Option Jump to Recipe
Here is another ridiculously delicious Indian meal. Indian Keema is a minced meat dish with various meats used depending on the region. North Indian Keema is cooked with spices and served with thick flatbreads. This South Indian Keema uses whole spices, poppy seeds, fennel seeds and coconut for a fantastic flavor base.
The red lentils and potatoes are cooked to al dente. The spices are ground and roasted in a bit of oil, then the onion and garlic are added and cooked with the spices. The pureed tomato is then added and simmered until the sauce thickens. Then the cooked lentils are mixed in. By mixing the lentils later, the spices and the sauce get time and surface area to roast well and develop flavor. If you add lentils before the sauce has cooked, or along with the tomato to cook, the overall flavor suffers as the extra volume hinders the roasting. You can use other cooked lentils or beans and veggies of choice in this delicious sauce.
As I always mention with the more involved recipes, don’t be intimidated by the spice list, and experiment with the flavor to preference. The flavors meld and get this meaty profile after sitting for a bit like most Indian recipes. Double the recipe and save a batch for the next day. This Keema Madras profile reminds me of the lamb keema being cooked in the neighborhood long ago. This one is All the meaty flavor without any meat. Lets make some!
Ingredients for Keema Madras and substitution options
- Red lentils and potatoes are pre-cooked to al dente. This is done so that the flavor of the spices in the sauce stays concentrated in the sauce. When you cook the lentils in the spices, they absorb a lot of the flavor and it distributes. The flavor will show up after sitting for a few hours, but it isnt as concentrated. The balance of spicy sauce and non spiced textured lentils is much more pleasing.
- Some coarsely crushed walnuts add more meaty texture.
- garlic, onion are the aromatics. To make this without garlic and onion, omit them and add 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds to the spices.
- tomato puree and some coconut makes the rest of the sauce
- carrots add a slight sweet balance. You can use other veggies or omit.
- Whole Spices: whole black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and poppy seeds add amazing flavor
- Ground spices: ground coriander, ground cumin, sage, ground cinnamon add the meaty flavor
- Raw rice is added for texture and adds grittyness to the spice mixture allowing it to roast evenly without easily burning. You can omit it if you like.
- Salt brings out the flavors in the sauce.
- Nut-free: Omit the walnuts.
How to make Keema Madras
Add garlic, cook for a few seconds. (You can also add 6 curry leaves at this point). Add onion and good pinch of salt and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes with coconut and a few tbsp of water until smooth.
More Indian Dishes to try
- Butter Tofu GF
- IP Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce , with Cauliflower. GF
- Tofu Amritsari Masala.GF
- Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chickin(soycurls). GF – Creamy, Delicious
- Mushroom Matar Masala GF
- Bombay Potato and Peas GF
- Tofu in Spinach Curry – Palak Tofu GF
Yum brown food!
If you make the recipe, do let me know in the comments how you liked it. Also do rate the recipe using the star rating above the comment box!
Vegan Keema Madras with lentils
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup red lentils, (masoor dal)
- 3/4 cup cubed potatoes, , small cubes
Spices:
- 1/2 tsp pepper corns or freshly ground , , use 1 tsp for the real deal
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon , or 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3/4 - 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp raw rice, (optional), or use rice flour
- 1/2 tsp sage
Sauce:
- 2 tsp oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, , finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 medium tomatoes, , or 11 oz diced
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup coarsely crushed walnuts
- 1/3 cup shredded carrots, ,optional
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Cilantro, pepper flakes, lime juice for garnish
Instructions
- Lentils + Potatoes: Add red lentils, potatoes, and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Cook uncovered over medium heat until potatoes are tender. 13-14 mins. Add in a good pinch of salt mid way. Do not drain.
- Spices: Grind the the spices in a grinder or blender. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spices and toast for 2-3 mins. If the pan is heating too quickly, roast at medium-low heat.
- Add garlic and cook for a few seconds. (You can also add 6 curry leaves at this point if you have some). Add onion and good pinch of salt and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes with coconut and a few tbsp of water until smooth.
- Add the blended tomato coconut mixture and cook over medium until it thickens and oil starts to leave the mixture. 5 to 7 mins. Add the carrots and walnuts and cook for 2 mins.
- Add the cooked lentils and potatoes with the cooking water(it should be about a half cup or so liquid after evaporation during cooking in step 1). Add salt and mix well to combine the spiced mixture and lentils.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 to 7 mins. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
- Add a dash of lime juice, generous pepper flakes or cayenne, and cilantro and serve with rice, flatbread or dosas. Or add to wraps, tacos.Store: Refrigerate for upto 3 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello
Do you think this could be made in the instant pot? Many thanks love your recipes!! Xx
Yes 3 mins for the lentils. Add them after adding walnuts, add 1/2 cup less water and pressure cook 3 mins
Sorry, do you mean add all to instant pot and cook for 3 mins? Or cook lentils and pot 3 mins add everything else and cook another 3 mins xx sorry to be a pain x
Skip the first step of cooking the lentils. Follow the sauce steps in sauté mode, then add washed lentils instead of cooked (recipe says to add cooked). Add potatoes and 1.5 cups water then close lid and pressure cook 3 mins. Quick release after 5 mins
Thank you so much!! I’ll let you know how it turns out! Happy Tuesday x
I cannot wait to hear what you think!
This is so good. I love it so much.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Why the walnuts? Texture? Fat? Flavor?
Texture
Can i sub the spice mix with madras curry powder?
you could but it would impart a pretty different flavour
5 stars from me! My lentil dishes always end up morphing into one same flavour but this was amazing! I omitted the walnuts and used arrowroot powder as a substitute for the rice. Thank you, my family (including a ten year old and a teenage boy) are thriving on an exclusively vegan diet for almost two years now thanks to wonderful vegan recipes like yours. Anyone who thinks children need animal products for growth and health, please rest assured that this is not the case. Since going vegan we have had optimal nutrition and health. In gratitude for your work and your compassion for animals 🙏🏼
Awesome
We had this lentil curry last night and it was a big hit with my vegan and non-vegan family. They said they would definitely eat it again, so I’m adding it to my book.
I made it as per instructions, with walnuts and carrots. I used whole spices and freshly blitzed them. The only (minor) flaw with the recipe was that it definitely would not have fed four people; at least not four in my family! I tripled the recipe and it made for six adult servings. I still have to rate the recipe five stars though because really, it is worth it.
After making this recipe I have gone on to buy your Indian cookbook; which I’m excited to arrive in the mail 🙂
i’m glad everyone enjoyed it! thank you so very much for your support – You’re going to Love the cookbook =).
Delicious! Loved the spice blend. I used canned tomatoes but drained the juice and it was yum. I doubled the spices like you suggested. Adding it to my list of favourites. Thank you for the recipe!
Awesome !! thank you Dee
Absolutely banging delicious. !!! Used tinned tomatoes and was perfect, will never get a takeaway madras again.
wow!!! that’s amazing. I”m so pleased to hear. thank you!
Where I can buy sage in Delhi.
good question….🤔🤔 I reside in USA. But here’s a link!! I hope this helps.
Outstanding!!! Good thing too because I went all in and made a humongous batch. I had a good feeling:) I pretty much followed the recipe, adding a touch of cayenne for heat. The spice blend is heavenly and unique. The final product was totally fantastic. I served it with slow cooked greens and homemade naan. I also love the suggestion of serving tacos with this.
Another incredible recipe!
Awesome