I just love meatballs. There are so versatile – you can add any spices and take a trip around the world with a meatball. And then there is the meat. Beef, turkey, veal, fish, a combination of a few or all.
Some time ago, I was invited to a Curry Throw down – no, it wasn’t Bobby Flay callin’. I thought long and hard – there are so many curries to chose from – I decided on meatballs or koftas, as something different. They were expecting over a 100 people, so I had to get rolling.
I have scaled down the recipe. Also, like most of my recipes, following are a bunch of suggestions that you can alter and make the recipe your own.
3 lbs. of minced meat (lamb, goat, chicken or a combination of)
4 large onions, sliced
1 tbs. cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardomom pods
6 ripe tomatoes, diced (or 2 cups of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed)
1 tbs. cumin powder
2 Tbs. coriander powder
1 tsp. cayenne or to taste
salt to taste
2 tbs. ginger paste
2 tbs. garlic paste
2 tbs. oil
chopped cilantro for garnish
3 eggs
In a large pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Cook for a minute and add the onions, along with the cinnamon and cardamom and salt. Stir and cook over medium high heat for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown.
In the mean time, put the meat in a bowl. Season with salt, cayenne, ginger and garlic, and eggs. Mix well and make meat balls. The size is up to you as long as they are of uniform size.
Note: you can form a patty and cook it to check for seasoning.
Keep an eye on the onion, add the ginger, garlic, cumin and coriander powder and the cayenne. Stir well.
After the spices have cooked through, about a couple of minutes, add the tomatoes. Taste the sauce. It should taste a little saltier and spicier than you would like it. The meatballs will take on some of the flavors.
Cook the sauce for about 10 – 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and add the meatballs into the sauce. Do it gently and make sure they don’t break.
If you like, you can brown the meatballs in a separate pan. I did it in this case since I was making so many and had to travel with them. When I am making it for myself, I don’t brown them first. The choice is yours.
Now bring the sauce up to a boil and shake the pan to make sure all the meat balls are cooking evenly.
Lower the heat and cover the pot – cook for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs and also if you browned them first. Check one to see if it is cooked.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve with rice or Indian Bread.
As always, I love leftovers. I eat them in sandwiches or even spaghetti and meatballs.
Until I eat again!
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