Spiced Meatballs

Meatballs made of minced goat/lamb are coated with delicious spice paste.

Ingredients:

For meat balls

• 1lb fine lean minced lamb/goat
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp roasted chana powder (ground dal)
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp green chili paste
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped finely

For gravy

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• ½ cup cooking oil

Method:

• Put the minced meat in a large bowl and add the garlic, garam masala, green chili paste, 1 tsp salt, egg, roasted chana powder and the chopped coriander leaves.
• Mix the ingredients thoroughly and knead the minced meat until it is smooth.
• Divide the mixture into small balls. Make the koftas by rolling the balls between the palms in a circular motion until they are smooth and round. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil over medium heat, preferably in a non-stick pan and fry onion slices until light brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
• Now add the powdered spices - red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and little salt. Reduce heat slightly (just below medium heat). Fry, stirring often, till the oil begins to separate from the masala paste. You may need to sprinkle water occasionally to keep the masala from burning and sticking to the pan.
• Add the yogurt and chopped tomato to the masala and keep stirring till you see all the spices separating from the oil.
• Add 5 cups of water. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Now put the koftas carefully one by one into the gravy and boil for 3-4 minutes. Remember koftas are not fried.
• Reduce heat to low; cover the pan and simmer for 8-10 minutes till koftas are done (break one kofta and check from inside).
• Add garam masala and crushed kasuri methi; and continue to cook, uncovered, till all the water is evaporated and kofta masala is dry ‘bhuna’ (fried).
• Remove from heat, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with roti.

Do You Know?

The generic term ‘Vegetable Oil’ when used to label a cooking oil product, refers to a blend of a variety of oils, often based on palm, corn, soybean or sunflower oils.

Oil can be flavored by immersing aromatic food stuffs such as fresh herbs, peppers, garlic and so forth in the oil for a period of time. However, care must be taken when storing flavored oils to prevent the growth of bacteria that causes food poisoning.