One of my favourite cuisines is Pakistani food. It’s a little different from North Indian food in that the use of spice is more subtle, the oil a little more than usual (but who cares when the food’s so delicious)! You will know the difference in this recipe for Pakistani curried kofta.
Pakistani Curried Kofta
Print RecipeIngredients
- Meatballs Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of besan (chickpea flour)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1-inch ginger, peeled and cut into pieces
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Salt as required
- 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder
- 20 black peppercorns
- 450 grams of ground mutton or beef
- Tomato-Yoghurt Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
- 400 grams of pureed tomatoes
- 2 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of Greek or hung yoghurt
- Salt to taste
- 1 bunch of coriander leaves
- 2 cups of boiling water
Instructions
Meatball Instructions
- Grind together the ginger and onion.
- Whisk it with the besan, egg, salt, chilli powder and peppercorns.
- Now add the minced meat. Fry a small pinch of the final mixture to check the seasoning.
- Once it is adjusted, make round balls of the mixture of about 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Place it on a parchment sheet. Cover and refrigerate.
Gravy Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan, put in the oil. Add the onion and saute until it turns golden. Now add the powders like cumin, chilli, paprika, turmeric.
- Continue to saute this on a medium flame. Then put in the tomatoes and increase the heat to medium-high. Continue to stir vigorously.
- Now add the water, remove the pot from the stove, and cool.
- Transfer the sauce to the blender; blend until smooth.
- Return the sauce to the pot, add the yoghurt and salt, and keep stirring until combined well.
- Now, place the meatballs in the gravy and cover with more boiling water with just enough to cover the meatballs.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for at least 20 to 25 minutes.
- Gently turn over each meatball. Replace the lid and simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Taste, add salt and serve hot after sprinkling a little fresh coriander.
- Serve on the side with basmati rice or naan.
