Meatball Curry

A recipe for a spicy curry of lamb meatballs

Share Article |

Apr 23, 2009 Sohag Lahiri

An authentic Indian recipe for meatballs in a spicy, aromatic tomato sauce.

Meatball curry, or kofta curry is a great accompaniment to pulao or even plain, steamed rice. The dish consists of meatballs of minced lamb in a rich and spicy, tomato-based sauce. There could be several variations to this dish. Some recipes even use coconut as a base for the sauce. The recipe below chosen for its ease of preparation and its great taste.

Most ingredients are readily available although you may be foxed by the 'garam masala' bit. Garam masala is a powdered mix of spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and cumin seeds and is readily available at Asian stores.

While cooking this recipe, remember not to stir the meatballs too much while they are cooking as they are liable to lose shape and come apart.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 lb. minced lamb
1 egg
4 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1” piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon, powdered
½ teaspoon salt

For frying the meatballs:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:

3 onions, ground to a paste
1” piece of ginger, peeled and ground to a paste
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ lb. tomatoes, blanched and chopped
¾ teaspoon garam masala
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

2 tablespoons yoghurt
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Squeeze out any excess water from the meat and place it in a large bowl. Add in the egg and beat well.
Combine the ingredients for the meatball together and grind to a paste. Add this paste to the bowl containing the meat and egg mixture and mix well.
Roll the meatball mixture into small balls about an inch in diameter.
Heat oil in a wok or deep pan and drop in the meatballs, one at a time. Fry the meatballs over a high heat in order to seal in the juices but not long enough to cook the meat. Remove the meatballs from the wok or pan, using a slotted spoon.
To the same oil, add the ground onions for the sauce. Sauté until golden brown. Add in the ground ginger, mix well and sauté for another minute. Next, add the turmeric and garam masala and cook over a gentle heat for another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over a moderate heat until they turn soft and the sauce takes on a smooth texture. Season to taste.
Pour in about a cup of water and bring the sauce to a simmer. Now place the meatballs in the sauce gently so that they don’t disintegrate. Cover the pan and simmer for another 20 minutes.
To serve, beat the yoghurt till smooth and pour over the meatball curry. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Share Article |

The copyright of the article Meatball Curry in Asian Cuisine is owned by Sohag Lahiri. Permission to republish Meatball Curry in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.