Wednesday, December 10, 2025
ADVT 
Food

Walnut Keema

Chef Raj Thandhi Darpan, 14 Apr, 2025
  • Walnut Keema

Ingredients: 

  • 2 tablespoons ghee or butter 
  • 1 cinnamon stick 
  • 1 star anise flower 
  • 2 cloves 
  • 3 cardamom pods slightly crushed 
  • 1 cup prepared tadka 
  • 1/2 cup thick plain yogurt (dahi) 
  • 1 cup grated cauliflower 
  • 3 cups walnut meat – made from 2 cups of whole walnuts 
  • 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup hot water – as needed. 
  • 1 tablespoon deghi mirch or paprika 
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala 
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish 

 
Directions: 

  • Start by soaking your walnuts for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight if time permits). 
  •  Prepare the walnut meat by draining the walnuts and pulsing them gently in your mixer. Don’t chop them, pulsing will create a more meat like texture. More details in this recipe. 
  • Add ghee to a pan on medium high heat and toast the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and cloves for 90 seconds, until fragrant. 
  • Add your prepared tadka. For this recipe, I like to add extra heat with Kashmiri red chilies to my tarka. Walnuts hold up really well to the spice, however, you can limit it if you prefer.  
  • Once your tadka is heated through, drop the heat of your stove down to low and add the dahi slowly. Before you add the dahi, whisk it lightly to prevent curdling.  
  • Once the dahi and tadka are combined, add your cauliflower and walnuts. Stir well and cook on medium for 5-7 minutes to soften the cauliflower and walnuts. At this point the mixture may thicken up. Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of boiling hot water to create a slight gravy consistency. Now taste for seasoning and adjust salt if needed. 
  • Add degi mirch and garam masala, combine well and cook for another 2 minutes.  
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Hot Tip:

If you are reheating the Walnut Keema, you may need to add a little hot water to loosen things up.    

MORE Food ARTICLES

Wedding Cocktails: Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic

Wedding Cocktails: Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic

Drinks or more sophisticatedly known as cocktails are just as important as the food in the reception. Along with gorgeous flowers that display a color scheme, signature cocktails have become centerpieces in their own right,

Indian Lemonade

Indian Lemonade

Ingredients: 2 Tbsp Cumin seeds – dry roasted and ground fine 2 Tbsp Mint leaves paste 1/2 tsp fresh Cilantro leaves paste 1 Tbsp dried mango powder/amchur 1/2 tsp Black salt 2 Tbsp Lemon…

Themed Cocktails

Themed Cocktails

Themed cocktails have become the latest, hottest thing at wedding receptions—a must-have item on any wedding plan checklist. Instead of facing the usual rush to the bar, arriving guests may be greeted by servers toting trays of pre-selected themed cocktails

Chef Vikas Khanna’s Butternut Squash Cinnamon & Oregano

Chef Vikas Khanna’s Butternut Squash Cinnamon & Oregano

A true comfort food, the cinnamon adds a bold and spicy, sweet warm taste to this velvety soup. The savoury, herbal flavours of oregano boost the distinct flavours of the…

Yellow Velvet Lentil Soup with Cumin and Dried Plums

Yellow Velvet Lentil Soup with Cumin and Dried Plums

Ingredients • 3 cups orange (masoor) lentils, washed well with warm water and drained • 1 bay leaf • 1 teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1/2 cup chopped…

‘Chef Abhishek Roy’s ‘P3 Salad – Papaya, Pomegranate and Peanut’

‘Chef Abhishek Roy’s ‘P3 Salad – Papaya, Pomegranate and Peanut’

Ingredients One medium-size green papaya, thinly sliced Roasted peanuts – one hand full Pomegranate seeds – one hand full Lemon juice – to taste Sugar – to taste Salt – to taste Chopped cilantro – few twigs Method Wash…