Kofta in Green Masala Sauce.
This Indian curry features the most perfect, plump lamb meatballs in an intoxicatingly delicious green masala sauce. Jamp packed with flavour, colour and spice.
I have a bit of an obsession for meatballs and cook them in their many guises. None more spectacular as this super fragrant masala sauce. It makes great use of a myriad of spices.
Meatballs or Kofta are a great way to utilise an inexpensive ingredient to create something very special. This Indian recipe is a fragrant, flavourful and deliciously spiced gravy which looks amazing too. I normally use lamb as it's more traditional, but have also cooked it using, ground/minced beef, pork, turkey and chicken - all with perfect results. It's one of the go-to curry dishes in my repertoire! You should give it a try - you'll be amazed how much flavour is packed into these tiny morsels of meat!
How to make my Kofta in Green Masala Sauce
Ingredients
For the Koftas
- 500 g 1.1lb ground/minced lamb
- 3 spring onions (finely chopped)
- 2 green chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp salt
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 medium onions
- 3/4 cup Greek style yoghurt (plain)
- 3 green chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh mint (chopped)
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro/coriander (finely chopped - stalks and all)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground fennel
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 lemon or 1 whole lime (juice of)
Instructions
To make the kofta
- Combine all the kofta ingredients in a large bowl by hand, making sure they're well mixed together. Set aside.
To Make the Sauce
- Heat a large pan with the oil and fry over a medium heat the onions for a bout 4-5 minutes until they're soft and golden brown. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain the excess oil.
- Transfer the onions along with all the other sauce ingredients, except the lemon juice and blend, either in a food processor ir with a hand blender into a smooth paste.
- Reheat half the oil from frying the onions and add the paste to the pan. Cook, stirring for a 4-5 minutes, then pour in 700ml of hot water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer gently.
- take a small amount of the meat mix and make a small round (a little smaller than a ping pong ball, drop it into the sauce and repeat with all the meat. Shake the pan to submerge them. Simmer uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the oil has begun to separate.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and adjust salt to your taste. Serve with plenty of fluffy basmati rice with a sprinkling of fresh mint and coriander.
Nutrition
Did you make my Kofta in Green Masala Sauce.?
How did you go? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to tag @cookeatworld at Instagram.
Cool recipe,easy to follow and tasted great.I didn’t have all the ingredients
( missing ginger,spring onions,allspice and cinnamon) but still tasted fab.I expected it to be quite hot with all the chillies but easy on the palate and tolerable.
I improvised with red onions instead of spring onions and used cumin instead of the allspice and cinnamon.
This will definately become a firm favourite.
A green gravy is a good idea! Will certainly give it a try. Have generally seen a red gravy or white gravy.