Meat Koftas- Meatballs in an Onion Gravy

This is a delicious meat ball dish. In India we meatballs are called koftas. They can be made with a variety of meats. My favorite is goat meat- but pork is delicious as well.. and so is beef.

The key to make this dish successful is to season every component of this dish. I started off with the minced meat which I seasoned with salt, garam masala and a small shallot. I let that mixture sit for a few hours (over night would be great). I then prepared a spice mixture consisting of coriander and cumin seeds. It is important to use whole spices as the grounds ones don’t give as much flavor- although, in a pinch one can use the ground variety. The next step was to blend an onion with ginger and garlic- that is the base of the gravy. If the steps are followed- the dish is a sure hit.

It is not the fastest dish to make- so I would leave this for the weekend.. but it is definitely worth the extra time….

• 1 pound ground goat meat (lamb, beef, pork or turkey will be fine)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 small grated shallot

Mix the salt, garam masala and shallot with the meat in a small bowl. Keep aside for 2 to 3 hours.

• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves
• 4-inch fresh ginger

Blend the vegetables in a blender until smooth.

• 1 teaspoon whole coriander
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin

Grind the coriander and cumin and keep aside.

• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 2 cloves
• 2 green cardamom, crushed
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• ½ cup crushed tomatoes
• Salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with the oil. Add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Saute for a minute on medium heat and add the onion mixture. Saute on medium heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring it constantly. Add the crushed tomatoes. Saute for another 5 minutes. Add the ground coriander and cumin. Form 1-inch meatballs with the seasoned ground meat and gingerly add to the gravy. Cook for at least half an hour covered on a low heat. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Add salt. Cook on a medium heat until the gravy is of stew consistency. Garnish with cilantro.