Rum Chicken Keema is a bold and comforting Indian curry made with minced chicken marinated in Indian rum and aromatic spices. The deep, layered flavor profile comes from caramelized onions, fresh ginger-garlic paste, and a generous pour of rum that infuses the dish with warmth and complexity. Finished with green peas and served with cumin pea rice, this keema is a modern twist on a beloved Punjabi street food classic.
Washington DC
Indigo
Rum Chicken Keema
Minced chicken / Indian rum / Ginger-garlic paste / Ghee / spices / Onions / Tomatoes / green chilies / Green peas / Cilantro / Cumin Pea Rice
Signature Dish
From Prep to Plate
Seth heads Indigo Indian Restaurant in Washington, D.C., to watch Chef Nidhi Tandon prepare a unique Indian-inspired Rum Chicken Keema, a rich minced chicken curry infused with Indian rum. The dish starts with marinated ground chicken in rum and ginger-garlic paste, then builds flavor with ghee, whole spices (cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin seeds, black cardamom, and cloves), onions, Indian green chilies, tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, and freshly ground garam masala. The curry is simmered with more rum and finished with dry fenugreek leaves, green peas, and a garnish of cilantro.
Nidhi creates dishes as if she were cooking in her own home kitchen (which, I guess, she technically is): Her menu takes shape, in large part, from the ingredients purchased that day, with a surprising array of complex vegetarian dishes for a family from the meat-centric north.
Tim Carman, The Washington Post
