Ingredients
- These koftas or meatballs can be made with chicken or turkey mince. The koftes are poached instead of fried making this a lighter more healthful recipe.
- Serves 8 people (3 koftas each) with a side of leavened or flat breads
- FOR THE KOFTAS
- 1 KG MINCED CHICKEN/CHICKEN KHEEMA, WASHED, COMPLETELY DRAINED
- 2 EGGS WHISKED
- 1 TEASPOON SALT
- 1 TEASPOON TURMERIC
- 1 TEASPOON CUMIN POWDER
- 1 TEASPOON CAYENNE PEPPER
- 1/2 TEASPOON CLOVE POWDER
- 1/2 TEASPOON GREEN CARDAMOM POWDERED
- 1/2 TEASPOON CINNAMON POWDERED
- 1/4 TEASPOON NUTMEG POWDERED
- FOR THE GRAVY
- 6 WHITE ONIONS PEELED (ABOUT 350 GRAMS)
- 4 LARGE RED TOMATOES
- 4 INDIAN GREEN CHILLIES ABOUT 1.25 INCHES LONG
- 4 TABLESPOONS GARLIC AND GINGER PASTE
- 1/4 TEASPOON TURMERIC
- FOR THE GRAVY TEMPERING
- 3 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL
- 1 STAR ANISE (SEEDS REMOVED)
- 2 SMALL DRIED BAY LEAVES
- 5 CLOVES
- 5 PEPPERCORNS
- 1 INCH CINNAMON STICK
- 1 BLACK CARDAMOM
- 600 ML COCONUT MILK
- MINT LEAVES TO GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
- PUREE ONIONS, TOMATO, CHILLIES, GARLIC GINGER PASTE, TURMERIC AND CAYENNE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.
- HEAT OIL ON A MEDIUM FLAME, WHEN HOT ADD ALL THE SPICES FOR THE TEMPER AND COOK ABOUT 1-1.5 MINUTES UNTIL FRAGRANT.
- ADD ONION AND TOMATO MIX AND COOK UNTIL REDUCED TO HALF ITS VOLUME. STIR FROM TIME TO TIME TO PREVENT BURNING.
- ADD 600ML COCONUT MILK AND COOK ANOTHER 12 MINUTES, STIRRING FROM TIME TO TIME.
- TASTE FOR SALT.
- PROCESS THE DRAINED KHEEMA IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. PULSE 1-3 TIMES IN SHORT BURSTS. DO NOT GRIND THE MEAT TO A PASTE. JUST A FINER CRUMB UNTIL THE MEAT CLINGS TOGETHER.
- COMBINE ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE KOFTA IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL UNTIL THOROUGHLY MIXED. DIVIDE INTO 24 BALLS.
- REDUCE FLAME UNDER GRAVY TO LOW. GENTLY LOWER KOFTAS INTO HOT COCONUT AND ONION GRAVY. USING A SMALL SPOON POUR SOME OF THE GRAVY OVER EACH KOFTA TO ENSURE THEY COOK THROUGH.
- COOK OPEN ABOUT 12 MINUTES ON LOW FLAME UNTIL MEATBALLS ARE COOKED THROUGH. AVOID STIRRING. SWITCH OFF FLAME. ALLOW IT TO COOL ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
- SERVE WARM WITH ROTIS, NAANS, PITA OR TANDOORI ROTI.
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