This is a traditional south Indian kofta curry dish with meat balls that are made with blended raw and cooked meat. They are lightly fried and then simmered in an aromatic curry till they are soft, juicy and succulent. So delicious!

I learnt this recipe from my mom and one of my favourite dishes that I enjoyed as a child and still do. Now it is my daughter’s favourite dish.The Koftas are made with meat from the leg portion of the lamb – half of which is cooked with herbs & spices and then mixed with the other half which is uncooked. Then it is made into meatballs and fried and cooked again in an onion based curry sauce. Lamb can be substituted with beef or veal. But I always prefer the lamb koftas to all others for their flavour, taste and texture. Though the beef and veal koftas are good enough, the lamb ones still reign supreme.

Ingredients for the Koftas:
1 lb leg of lamb
1/2 a cup chana dal (split chickpeas)
4 green chillies (medium size)
1/2 an onion (medium size)
4 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1/2 an inch cinnamon (cassia bark)
1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions for the koftas:
1. Wash the chana dal 3 or 4 times till the water is clear. Drain well, keep aside.

2. Clean and wash 1/2 a lb of chunky lamb pieces and add to it the chana dal, onion, garlic, green chillies and turmeric powder in a small pot and cook on medium heat turning over the meat pieces with the dal mixture till the meat is no longer pink.

3. At this stage the dal is a little al dente which is the texture we need. Remove from stove and let it cool to room temperature.

4. Remove the meat pieces from the dal mixture and keep aside. First grind the dal mixture in a wet grinder or an all purpose blender. You may add just a little water if necessary but it should be of chutney consistency and not watery. Pound and powder the whole spices in a mortar and pestle.

5. Once the dal mixture is like a smooth paste, add the cooked meat pieces a few at a time by pulsing the grinder/blender. We just want to shred the meat pieces and not grind them fine. The meat fibre should be visible and not become a paste. The fibrous texture of the meat makes the koftas taste better.

6. Add fresh chopped coriander, salt, ground cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and mix well with the dal mixture at low speed till it is of dough consistency. Keep aside.

7. Now finely grind the raw meat, add salt and mix it well with the ground kofta dough. Knead well, then make round koftas by rolling them in between your palms.

8. Heat oil in a dutch oven or wok and when the oil is moderately hot, deep fry them lightly till they are golden brown. Prick them here and there gently with a fork and set aside. Makes 15 – 16 medium sized koftas.

Ingredientsfor the curry:
2 large onions
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tomato (medium size)
4 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1x 2″ cinnamon stick
1/4 cup yogurt
4 green chillies
cilantro as desired
1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
1/2 cup coconut milk
salt to taste

Instructions for the curry:

1. Finely slice the onions. Set the pot on medium heat. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamoms to the medium hot oil in the pot. When they begin to leave an aroma add the chopped onions and fry them till golden brown.

2. Add the ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric and red chilli powder followed by chopped tomatoes, green chillies and lastly yogurt when the tomatoes are a little bit softened.

3. Add 1/2 a cup water, stir well and when it starts bubbling add the fried koftas. Close the lid and cook on medium heat for at least 10 mins till the koftas are soft and juicy.

4. Care should be taken not to stir the curry with a spatula while cooking. Lift the pot with the kitchen mitts and gently give it a swirl on and off. If you shake it too hard the koftas might break.

5. Add coconut milk and simmer for 5 more minutes. The curry should thicken a little bit and the koftas should be soft and juicy. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with plain rice and enjoy.

Notes:
1. Do not soak the chana dal. It should be added to the meat immediately after washing it.

2. The whole spices – cloves and cardamom do not grind well when they are thrown in together with the dal mixture. So they have to be ground separately. I smash and powder them first using a mortar and pestle before grinding them or just mixing them with the dal mixture.

3. Pricking the koftas with a tooth pick before dropping them in the curry makes them juicy and soft.

4. Shredding the meat pieces by pulsing gives the koftas a better texture and taste.

5. Moist kofta dough makes the koftas very soft and juicy. If you find the kofta dough dry after grinding add a little water and make it soft.

6. Freshly ground coconut (1 tbs) can also be added instead of coconut milk. Simmering the kofta curry on low heat till the oil comes to the top makes the koftas juicy and flavourful.

Recipe