Kofta Curry

A bowl of Kofta (meatball) curry drizzled with yoghurt and garnished with chopped cilantro

5 from 3 votes

Kofta curry is one of the tastiest, most satisfying curries to make at home. Juicy meatballs are bathed in a fragrant and spice-laden sauce – an intense combination of flavour and colour.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 500kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

For the kofta

1 lb lamb mince (about 500g)
½ onion grated
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ginger minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

For the Sauce

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cardamom
5 cm piece cinnamon
6 black peppercorns
1½ onion
6 garlic cloves (peeled)
1 tsp ginger (minced)
3 chillies (chopped)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup tomato passata
¾ cup yoghurt
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Yoghurt drizzle for garnish

Instructions

Mix together all the kofta ingredients and form the balls. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
Using a blender or stick/immersion blender, make a puree from the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large deep pan until hot then add the whole spices and sizzle for 30 seconds or so.
Add the onion puree and sizzle for 5 minutes, stirring until golden brown.
Add the ground spices and a little salt and stir well to combine everything.
Add the yoghurt and stir well then add the tomato and cook until simmering.
Add 1 cup water and bring to a bubble. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Drop in the kofta and shake the pan to submerge them. Try not to stir at this stage as you could damage the meatballs. Once they've been simmering for a while they'll firm up and you can stir as normal. Simmer the kofta gently (partially covered) for a further 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is reduced and creamy.
Remove from he heat and scatter over the fresh cilantro.

Notes

Serving

Serve your Kofta Curry with basmati rice or Indian breads.

Garnishes:

Use fresh herbs like cilantro or mint. Toasted nuts like slithered almonds or cashew nuts. Scatter over a few pomegranate seeds and add a drizzle of yoghurt.

Storage:

Fridge - Leftovers will stay good in the fridge for 4-5 days in airtight containers. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
Freezer - Again, store in airtight containers for the freezer. They'll stay fresh for 3+ months. Add a little water before reheating to avoid the sauce drying out. Stir regularly throughout microwave reheating until piping hot.

Nutrition