Keema Alu

Friday 25 May
This is a recipe from New Joy. Indian food is now officially American. "Keema" कीमा is the same as modern Greek "kima," (κιμάς) for ground-meat, and both are from Turkish "kıyma" (verb kıymak 'chop, mince'). After all, Turkic food terms (and rulers) were everywhere from the Ganges to the Danube.
So: heat oil in large pan and sauté:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Add and stir-fry for a minute:
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground chile
Add 1 lb ground beef and sauté until it's no longer pink.
Throw in 1/2 cup or more chopped tomatoes, not drained (this is different from New Joy, as they tell you to drain them, add back a little juice, and later add an extra cup of water!!) and 1/2 lb. boiling potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender (ca. 20 minutes), adding a bit of water if the level looks too low.
Add salt to your taste, sprinkle with a handful of fresh chopped cilantro, give it a stir or two, and serve.