Cheesy Keema Puffs: savoury spiced keema meets gooey cheese in a crispy flaky pastry. A flavorful combo and an amazing snack for any occasion!
Keema has always got me by the knees. It is my absolute favourite, and it is not complicated to make. Keema is quite versatile and pairs well with a lot of other food. Since I love anything pastry, my love for keema and pastries came together – out came these cheesy keema puffs. I have a little warning for you – you can’t stop and won’t stop with these babies as they are highly addictive, so be warned!
Cheesy Keema Puff Pastry
Cheesy Keema Puffs: savoury spiced keema meets gooey cheese in a crispy flaky pastry. A flavorful combo and an amazing snack for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 20 sheets Puff Pastry (store-bought) 12 cm x 12 cm for each square
- 120 g Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 1 small Egg for egg wash
Keema
- 5 tbsp Vegetable Oil neutral tasting oil
- 1 Brown Onion finely diced
- 500 g Minced Beef
- 1 Dried Bay Leaf
- 1 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 tsp Ginger & Garlic Paste see notes
- 30 g Tomato Paste
- ½ tsp Ground Turmeric
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 2 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika Powder
- 1-2 tsp Chili Powder depending on heat preference
- 1 tsp Meat Masala see notes
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 wedge Lemon juice only
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1½ tsp Sugar
- 50 g Frozen Peas
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the finely diced onions, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick, and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Stir in the ginger and garlic paste, and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the minced beef and break it apart, ensuring there are no lumps. Cook the beef evenly, stirring frequently so that every piece browns properly.
- Once the beef is evenly cooked, add in the ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika powder, chili powder, meat masala, garam masala and ground black pepper and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, allowing it to cook for another minute before adding the frozen peas, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes and stir occasionally.
- Make sure the keema is dry with no excess liquid, as any moisture could make the pastry soggy. If needed, continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated. Once done, remove the pan from the heat and let the keema cool for about 10 minutes.
- Crack an egg into a small bowl, whisk it, and set it aside.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the square pastry sheets on it, making sure to leave at least 1 cm of space between each. Since store-bought pastry sheets may have specific resting and baking instructions, check the package. Otherwise, let them rest for about 10 minutes before proceeding.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Spoon one and a half tablespoons of keema and one tablespoon of cheese onto the center of each pastry square. Fold the top corner diagonally to meet the bottom corner, forming a triangle. Gently press along the edges with your fingers to secure the fold, ensuring the filling stays inside without spilling out. To create a firm seal, use the back of a clean fork to crimp the edges. This helps prevent any filling from leaking out during baking. Lightly dock the top of each pastry with a fork—this allows steam to escape and prevents excessive puffing while baking.
- Using a spoon or brush, apply a thin layer of the beaten egg over each pastry for a golden finish. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the puffs turn golden brown. Since baking times can vary depending on the brand of pastry used, refer to the package instructions for the best results.
- Once baked, let the cheesy keema puffs cool for about 5 minutes before serving them hot.
Notes
GINGER & GARLIC PASTE
For the ginger and garlic paste, you will need 30 grams of peeled ginger and four garlic cloves. Blend them together with a little water (about 20–30 ml) to help with blending, or pound them into a paste using a mortar and pestle. For this Cheesy Keema recipe, you only need 1 teaspoon of the paste. Store the remaining paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, and use it to make my fish curry or coconut butter chicken.
MEAT MASALA
Meat masala and garam masala are similar spice blends but not identical. Meat masala tends to be bolder and more complex, making it worth seeking out at your local Indian or Asian grocery store. If you can't find it, simply substitute with 2 teaspoons of garam masala instead of the 1 teaspoon of meat masala called for in the recipe.
STORAGE
Store the leftover cheesy keema puffs in an air-tight container and heat them in the air fryer at 180°C for 5 minutes or microwave them for 2-3 minutes.
