Indian Beef with Peas and Tomatoes

My Dad has been on some dietary restrictions for health reasons. He's supposed to reduce his intake of red meat, fried food and alcohol. I've been trying to do the same thing, just as a lifestyle change. But I have to admit, it's hard, especially in the Midwest. But we had some ground beef in the freezer and I hadn't had red meat in about a week.

I wanted to jazz up the ground beef with some fresh flavors, instead of going with our usual burgers and fries. I broke out the spices and decided to make an Indian inspired beef dish. 

Indian Beef with Peas and Tomatoes

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound ground beef
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup red wine, I used Boyfriend's Cabernet Merlot blend

In a medium saute pan over medium high heat, saute onions until golden. Add ginger and garlic and saute for one minute. Add spices and stir until onions are covered. Add beef and break meat up with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat has browned. Add tomatoes and peas and stir to combine. Deglaze pan with wine. Cook until wine reduces to about half it's volume, 5-10 minutes. 

Serve in a bowl with cilantro sprinkled over top. You can serve with potatoes, rice or pitas, or on it's own. This would also go really well in a lettuce wrap.

-Akemi-chan