Lubna Palak Qeema (Spinach with minced meat)
Most people are familiar with Palak Gosht, a mix of spinach and mutton. But it’s lesser known counterpart, Palak Qeema is equally tasty and much quicker to prepare. My mother-in-law, drawing from her Kashmiri heritage, was the one who introduced us to this. She is an amazing chef and loves to experiment with different flavors. Her introduction of dill leaves in this dish, has made it a favorite for us.
Entertaining for Large Gatherings
Living in America, we have come to depend on our small Pakistani community here in Colorado as our second family. Hence, dinner parties are a great way to catch up, and for our children to be connected to our Pakistani roots and culture. Anyone who has hosted such a party, can relate to the amount of effort it takes to host. A gathering of 8-12 families is the norm and ends up being a cooking marathon. Prep work starts a week earlier with getting the major ingredients, and the actual cooking begins a day or so prior. There are some braver to go all out and host graduation or Eid parties for 70-100 families and cook most of the food themselves. I prefer the smaller gatherings since it give me an opportunity to sit down and chat with my friends in the comfort of our home. It is more work in the long run because we have to do multiple parties to accommodate all of our friends, but it is totally worth it!
Hospitality takes Effort
Pakistanis are known for their hospitality, especially when it comes to food. Hence. if you attend a dinner party, it should be no surprise to find a plethora of dishes. A rice/ pullao dish is mandatory, as is a meat dish. There is usually one vegetable side dish. This is why I like Palak Qeema because it is a happy marriage between a veggie and meat dish. It is best enjoyed with Naan or rice. Be aware that you will need a good amount of spinach because it shrinks to one-third the original once cooked. The dish should be a happy balance between the meat and the spinach, neither one overpowering the other.
Ingredients for Palak Qeema:
Party portioned (you can cut recipe in thirds to cater to 4-6 people)
2 lbs chicken mince + 1 lb beef mince
3 tsp Salt
1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
2 medium sized onions finely chopped
3 heaped tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tomatoes chopped
2 tablespoons yogurt
44 oz (two big packs from Sam’s baby spinach + one frozen chopped spinach pack)
3 green cardamoms
2 tsps garam masala
1 bunch of dill, chopped (about 6 tsps)
1 green chilli sliced in chunky pieces
½ cup oil
Directions:
- Heat oil, and add chopped onions. On high heat, fry till translucent.
- Add ginger, garlic paste.Fry a minute or two, then add the chicken and beef mince. Use a wide bottom pan so you can mix/fry well.
- Add the seasonings, cardomom and green chillies, and saute well.
- Add yogurt and tomatoes. Continue to fry and stir.
- Once the tomatoes have started to disintegrate and soften (about 5 minutes), then add the spinach in batches. Let the first batch shrink before adding the rest. Continue to cook on medium heat, covered.
- After about 10 minutes of cooking, remove cover and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Add 3 -4 tablespoons of oil on top if you feel there is a lack of oil. Don’t be stingy with the oil. In Pakistani cooking, a layer of oil sitting on top of most dishes, is a mark of a well-cooked dish. However, if you are squeamish about adding extra oil, then you can certainly forego this, but make sure to evaporate most of the water. Once the water bubbles subside and is replaced with oily bubbles, you know that the mix is ready.
- Add the fennel, and simmer for a few more minutes. However, if you are not serving straight away, you can certainly let it cool and then freeze in smaller portions for use later.
palak qeema
Plan your next dinner party with this in mind. Your guests will love it! Additionally, if you are looking for other dinner party options, do check out Mutton Qorma, another delicious and regal main course dish from the Indian subcontinent.
