Main dish

Nigella's Korean Keema (with Lamb Mince and Eggs) recipe

Name: Nigella's Korean Keema (with Lamb Mince and Eggs)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 150g rice (basmati, brown, sushi); 2 tbsp gochujang; 1 tbsp honey (or ½ tablespoon, see notes); 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 250g mince (lamb or turkey); 125g frozen petit pois; 6 thin (or 3 fat) spring onions; 1 tsp vegetable oil (or groundnut); 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine; 4 tbsp water (optional, I don't add this); 2 tsp chilli oil; 2 eggs; 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

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Nigella's Korean Keema is supposed to be made with turkey mince but I can’t resist classic lamb. It’s quick to make but has plenty of depth, thanks to the soy, gochujang and rice wine sauce. Delicious with any rice but particularly sushi rice.

Prep15m
Cook20m
Total35m

korean nigella

Nigella's Korean Keema with Lamb Mince and Eggs

I’m not sure if this is weird but I love a dry mince dish. Japanese Dry Curry has been on my To Cook list for ages but Nigella’s Korean Keema overtook it, thanks to the shorter ingredients list.

Nigella uses turkey mince but I substitute lamb. The egg is my addition; I fry it in chilli oil until the edges become charred and crispy.

Nigella’s partnership with Ocado has resulted in several gochujang pastes becoming available. I went for CJ Taeyangcho (Nigella recommended); it’s more expensive but has a higher percentage of red pepper paste. The last gochujang I bought was underwhelming; this one is better and lasts for ages so I don't mind paying a bit more.

Notes

I’ve listed the original recipe below but I make a few small tweaks as I’m cooking:

I use frozen coriander instead of fresh, adding it to the mince rather than using it as a garnish
I don’t bother to defrost the peas in hot water
I don’t add the 4 tablespoons of water at the end of the recipe as I prefer the mince to be drier

A commenter claimed that the dish was too sweet so I halved the honey. Half was enough (the gochujang contains corn syrup) but taste and add more if needed.

Recipe credit

Kitchen (affiliate link) by Nigella Lawson.

Recipe

Nigella's Korean Keema (with Lamb Mince and Eggs)

Prep15m
Cook20m
Total35m

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Serve with

150g rice (basmati, brown, sushi)

Sauce

2 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp honey (or ½ tablespoon, see notes)
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
2 tbsp soy sauce

Keema

250g mince (lamb or turkey)
125g frozen petit pois
6 thin (or 3 fat) spring onions
1 tsp vegetable oil (or groundnut)
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
4 tbsp water (optional, I don't add this)

To finish (optional)

2 tsp chilli oil
2 eggs
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method

Rice: Cook 150g of rice according to the instructions on the packet. Fill and boil the kettle for the peas.
Sauce/keema: In a bowl that can hold the mince, combine 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of honey (or ½ tablespoon, see notes), 1 tablespoon of Chinese rice wine and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Add 250g of lamb or turkey mince - use a fork to break it up and stir it into the sauce. Leave to steep for 5 minutes.
Put a wok or heavy bottomed pan over a medium heat. While it heats up, add 125g of petit pois to a colander and pour over boiled water from the kettle, letting the water drain away. Slice 6 thin (or 3 fat) spring onions.
Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to the wok then add the sliced spring onions and the peas. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add the mince and sauce to the pan. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.
Eggs (optional): Place a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of chilli oil and crack in 2 eggs. Fry until the whites have cooked. Set to one side.
Keema: Add 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice wine and 4 tablespoons of water (optional) to the bowl that held the mince, swill (to combine with any remaining sauce) and pour into the wok. Stir fry for another 30 seconds or so until everything has heated through.
To serve: Spoon the keema over the rice and top with the fried eggs (if using) Scatter over 1-2 tablespoons of chopped, fresh coriander.