Except for vegetarians, who doesn’t like meatballs?
Simple to make, different ways to play with ingredients as per taste, they are great quick snacks or appetizers and make excellent leftovers to turn into a curry or a meatball sandwich.
I have been playing a lot with ingredients during years, making meatballs from European flavor of herbs to exotic Asian spices taste.
What I like mostly about meatballs is the simplicity of the preparation, you just have to throw some ingredients (basic would be onion, garlic, salt, pepper and some herbs) together with minced meat, mix all, fry and serve. So easy.
And while making a large batch of meatballs as appetizers, why not adding some sauce and transform them into a main dish to go with bread, rice, noodles or spaghetti. Simple dishes that are full of flavor.
In India and Middle East, a spiced meatball is called kofta. Koftas consist of balls made with minced ground meat (usually beef or lamb) mixed with spices.
I’ve posted another chicken kofta recipe some time ago – Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – a delicious dish that uses unfried meatballs, cooked in a rich yogurt sauce.
This time I’m sharing a chicken kofta curry recipe with fried meatballs, cooked in a rich spiced tomato sauce. This is delicious, you must try it. Just look at the ingredients, all those amazing spices that give a divine flavor to the meat.
So here it is, step by step Chicken Kofta with Tomato Curry Recipe
In a big bowl mix all the ingredients under “For koftas”. Make small meatballs and keep aside.
Heat oil into a frying pan and add the meatballs. Fry until golden brown. Once done, remove them from oil and keep them aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Into a deep pan heat some oil. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, green and black cardamons. When cumin seeds start to sizzle add chopped onions and fry until onion starts to change color. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.
Now add chopped tomatoes, salt and all powdered spices. Cook until tomatoes are getting mushy and start to separate from oil.
Add a cup of water and bring it to boil. Lower the flame and add the meatballs. Simmer for 10 minutes and Chicken Kofta Curry is ready. Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves.
- <strong>For koftas (meatballs):</strong>
- 450 gm chicken minced;
- 2 onions, grated;
- 1 tbsp ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger);
- 1 tsp garlic paste/crushed garlic;
- 1 tsp cumin seeds;
- 1 tsp garam masala;
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder;
- 1 tsp coriander powder;
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped;
- few fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped;
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder;
- 1/2 tsp salt or as per taste;
- <strong>For sauce/curry:</strong>
- 2 onions, chopped;
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste/grated;
- 1 tsp garlic paste/crushed garlic;
- 3 cloves;
- 1 tsp cumin seeds;
- 1 inch cinnamon stick;
- 3 green cardamons;
- 1 black cardamon;
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder;
- 1 tsp garam masala;
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder;
- 1 tbsp coriander powder;
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder;
- 4 tomatoes, chopped;
- 1 cup water;
- salt per taste;
- few coriander leaves (cilantro) to garnish;
- oil.
- In a big bowl mix all the ingredients under "For koftas". Make small meatballs. Keep aside.
- Heat oil into a frying pan and add the meatballs. Fry until golden brown. Once done, remove them from oil and keep them aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Into a deep pan heat some oil. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, green and black cardamons. When cumin seeds start to sizzle add chopped onions and fry until onion starts to change color. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Now add chopped tomatoes, salt and all powdered spices. Cook until tomatoes are getting mushy and start to separate from oil.
- Add a cup of water and bring it to boil. Lower the flame and add the meatballs. Simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves.
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