Keema Potentiality

[scott123]

My favorite restaurant had a beef keema dish (keema matar) on the buffet the other day. Man was it good.

I am 99% percent certain it contained annatto. Is annatto a common ingredient in keema?

[Edward]

My favorite restaurant had a beef keema dish (keema matar) on the buffet the other day.  Man was it good.

I am 99% percent certain it contained annatto.  Is annatto a common ingredient in keema?

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Annatto is rare in Indian cooking. What made you think it contained annatto? Was the oil seperating from the dish and was it colored that bright yellow-red like you would see in island cooking containing annato? If so, it was probably a combination of turmeric and bright red mild Indian chili powder, deghi mirch. It gives the same effect.

[scott123]

The keema was a very vivid, dark red brown (darker and browner than a brick) and the flavor was earthy. I just can't picture deghi mirch getting as dark as this, unless maybe they used an obscene amount of it. And it had little to no heat to it.

[mongo_jones]

people, people, there is a very simple answer to this conundrum. you are all over-thinking the matter. 3 words: artificial food coloring

[Edward]

people, people, there is a very simple answer to this conundrum. you are all over-thinking the matter. 3 words: artificial food coloring

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Duh... Why didn't I think of that....

[scott123]

people, people, there is a very simple answer to this conundrum. you are all over-thinking the matter. 3 words: artificial food coloring

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Artificial food coloring doesn't have the overwhelmingly earthy flavor this has.

[mongo_jones]

Artificial food coloring doesn't have the overwhelmingly earthy flavor this has.

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maybe some mud as well?

i was referring to the color of the dish--my keema dishes also have an earthy taste--maybe they aren't using the amount of cream you normally find in indian restaurant meat dishes, thereby allowing a natural meat and vegetables flavor to emerge?