Beef kheema

Recipe:
1.5lb ground beef (hopefully you can find it around $5/lb, but mine was more since I didn't have time to shop around)
4 roma tomatoes ($1ish)
1 small red onion ($.75ish)
8oz frozen peas ($.75ish)
Basmati rice (or rice of your choice)($.50-1, depending on brand and quantity)
Assorted seasonings

Start by browning your beef, drain the grease, then add the diced onion. Season here with salt to taste. Add roughly diced tomatoes and a few cups of water (doesn't really matter how much, it will evaporate, but start with ~3c, adding more as needed).

Now season with whatever Indian, Pakistani or Middle Eastern spices you have. I used a bunch of medium yellow curry powder and garam masala (maybe 3T ea), then smaller amounts of smoked paprika (probably 1.5T), cumin, garlic powder, onion powder (1T ea), and a bit of cardamom (probably 1/2T). You can use whatever you have available – Garam Masala is easily found and is perfectly acceptable if that's all you have.

Let it simmer for a few minutes, then add your peas and let cook until the water is mostly evaporated and the peas are cooked.

Serve with basmati rice and a little bit of Greek yogurt if you'd like. Total cost (no yogurt) is ~$11-12, depending on how much your beef costs, and this made 8 servings. We 4 had supper tonight, my wife has lunch for 2 days and I for 1 (I eat a slightly larger portion), and all servings are quite generous.

You could stretch the meat even further, or reduce the quantity, by adding in diced potatoes or lentils of your choice. You could also mix in a different assortment of frozen or fresh veggies if you'd like, or if you don't like peas. It would also be super easy to change the seasonings and turn it into a ground beef taco & rice bowl for some variation.

I hope you all like it! (Forgive my messy plating!)