Spicy Keema Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 275 g Beef mince
• 1.5 tbsp Oil
• 1 Onion (Diced)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 0.5 tsp Fresh ginger (Minced)
• 2 tbsp Tomato puree
• 150 g Rigatoni (The source also refers to this as pasta)
• 1 pod Cardamom (For the fresh garam masala)
• 0.5 stick Cinnamon stick (For the fresh garam masala)
• 1 Bay leaf (For the fresh garam masala)
• 0.5 tsp Panch puran (five-spice blend) (Optional; for the fresh garam masala)
• 2 Peppercorns (The source says “pepper cloves”; interpreted as peppercorns)
• 0.5 tsp Chilli powder (For seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric (For seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp Ground cumin (For seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp Ground coriander (For seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp Garam masala (For seasoning)
• 1 tsp Mixed curry powder (For seasoning)
• 1.5 tsp Salt (Used while tempering the garlic and in the seasoning)
• 1 tsp Black pepper (For seasoning)
• 1 cup Pasta water (Reserve at least 1 cup after par-cooking the pasta; additional water is used as needed)
• Grated cheese (For sprinkling and melting; amount not specified)
• Fresh coriander (For garnish; use generously)
• Fresh chillies (For garnish; amount not specified)
• Boiling water (For initially boiling the rigatoni; amount not specified)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring water to a boil in a large pan. Add the rigatoni and boil until it is par-cooked. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and set the pasta aside.

2. 2

   Clean and dry the pan. Return it to medium heat, add the oil, then add the minced garlic, minced ginger, and salt. Temper the aromatics for a couple of minutes, stirring, until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the diced onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring regularly, until translucent, about 7 minutes.

4. 4

   Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the beef mince and the cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, panch puran if using, and peppercorns. Cook until the beef is browned, the liquid has evaporated, and the meat is beginning to brown further.

5. 5

   Add the chilli powder, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, mixed curry powder, and black pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes so the seasoning cooks out and the masala powders bloom in the oil.

6. 6

   Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and the tomato puree. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the sauce to reduce.

7. 7

   Add the par-cooked rigatoni and a splash more pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta in the meat sauce, then simmer for about 5 minutes until the pasta absorbs the seasoning and the sauce becomes cohesive.

8. 8

   Sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta. Cover the pan and let the cheese melt.

9. 9

   Top with fresh chillies and plenty of fresh coriander, then serve hot.

Notes

The source gives a beef range of 250–300 g and says the recipe makes 4–6 portions. Cheese, coriander, and chillies are listed without quantities. The source says “2 pepper cloves”; this was interpreted as 2 peppercorns. The dish is described as reheating well.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• one-pan
• pasta
• South Asian fusion
• spicy
• beef
• weeknight meal