1,000 Indian Recipes (261 page)

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds ground extra lean lamb or beef

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₂
cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 to 2 dried red chile peppers such as chile de arbol, or fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, broken

4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 large egg whites

1
¹
⁄
₂
to 2 cups peanut oil for deep frying

1.
Prepare the chaat masala. Then, in a large nonstick pan, cook together the meat, onion, cilantro, red or green chile peppers, ginger, garlic, garam masala, black peppercorns, and salt, stirring, until all the juices evaporate, about 7 minutes.

2.
Cool and transfer to a food processor, add the egg whites, and process until smooth and somewhat sticky. Keep a small bowl of water nearby. With lightly moistened clean fingers, divide the mixture into 20 to 25 portions and shape into round balls, each about 1
¹
⁄
₄
-inches in diameter.

3.
Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it registers 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer or until a small piece of meat dropped into the hot oil takes 15 to 20 seconds to rise to the top. Place the meat balls into the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and deep-fry, turning them around with a slotted spatula until they are firm and golden, about 3 minutes.

4.
Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain, then transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle the chaat masala on top, and serve.

Variation:
To serve as an entrée, simmer the kofta balls, either uncooked or deep-fried, in
Classic Spicy Curry Sauce
until they absorb the juices and soften, about 15 minutes.

Stuffed Meat Balls in Yogurt-Cream Sauce

Gosht Kofta Korma

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Here is my lighter version of one of India's prized offerings,
koftas
(meat or vegetable balls), floating in a thick and fragrant nut-based yogurt sauce. To make the dish even lighter, omit the cream from the sauce.

12 to 15
blanched
raw almonds

2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

1 teaspoon garam masala +
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon for garnish

1 recipe
Yogurt-Cream Sauce with Nuts

2 tablespoons raisins

1 quarter-size slice peeled fresh ginger

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, stemmed

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1
¹
⁄
₂
pounds ground extra lean lamb or beef

1 small onion, minced

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Soak the almonds overnight in water to cover by 2 inches to soften them, then drain. Meanwhile, prepare the ginger-garlic paste and the garam masala. Prepare the yogurt-cream sauce the day before and refrigerate, or prepare just before cooking the koftas and leave in the pan.

2.
In a small food processor, process together the almonds, raisins, ginger, green chile pepper, and lemon juice to make a coarse purée. Remove to a bowl and mix in the black pepper (and
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, if you wish).

3.
In a large bowl, mix together the meat, onion, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and salt. Keep a small bowl of water nearby. With lightly moistened clean fingers, divide the almond-raisin mixture into 20 to 25 portions and the meat mixture into 20 to 25 portions. Working with each portion of the meat mixture separately, flatten it to make a large patty and place one portion of the almond-raisin in the center of the patty. Then bring the edges of the patty together to enclose the stuffing, and shape into a round ball or an elongated roll. Transfer to a tray. Repeat with the remaining portions. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

4.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the koftas in a single layer in a flat, ovenproof serving dish. Sprinkle the ground cardamom seeds on top, cover the dish, and bake until firm, about 20 minutes.

5.
Pour the yogurt-cream sauce over the koftas, cover again, and continue to bake 20 minutes more.

6.
Alternatively, add the koftas to the sauce in the pan and simmer about 20 minutes.

7.
Remove from the oven or pan, sprinkle the garam masala and chopped cilantro on top, and serve hot.

Egg-Stuffed Meat Balls in Yogurt-Cream Sauce

Nargisi Kofta

Makes 4 to 6 servings

From the Mughlai kitchen, known for its rich and often elaborate dishes, comes this special recipe that contributes to India's reputation for a complex cuisine. This is an authentic Indian showcase of enticing aromas and contrasting colors, featuring hard-boiled eggs cloaked in a super-fragrant minced meat shell, then cut in half to reveal their vivid yellow and white interiors against the browned meat. They look like the narcissus flower and are popularly called by their Indian name,
nargis
, hence
nargisikoftas
.

Serve these masterpiece
koftas
as you would any other meat balls: as appetizers with a green or a yogurt chutney, or float them in any curry sauce of your choice.

1 recipe
Yogurt-Cream Sauce with Nuts
or
Butter-Cream Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

1 teaspoon
Basic Curry Powder
(or store-bought)

9 large eggs

1 pound extra-lean ground lamb or mutton (goat)

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped onion

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, minced

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

3 to 4 tablespoons
dry-roasted
chickpea flour

1
¹
⁄
₂
to 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the yogurt-cream sauce and the curry powder. Then, place 8 eggs in a saucepan with water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer until hard-boiled, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool or plunge into cold water, then shell them.

2.
To make the koftas: Place the lamb, onion, garlic, ginger, green chile peppers, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the meat is tender and almost dry, about 10 minutes. Roast the chickpea flour. Then mix it into the meat and cook another 5 minutes.

3.
Lightly beat the remaining egg. Transfer the cooked meat to a food processor, mix in the beaten egg, and process to make a smooth, dough-like mixture. Keep a small bowl of water nearby. Then, with lightly moistened fingers, divide the mixture into 8 portions and flatten each one into a 4- to 5-inch round.

4.
Working with 1 hard-boiled egg at a time, dip the egg in water and place in the center of the meat round. Then wrap the meat around the egg to encase the egg completely, making sure that the kofta is smooth and there are no gaps.

5.
Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it registers 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer or until a small piece of meat ball dropped into the hot oil takes 15 to 20 seconds to rise to the top. Add the meat balls into the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and fry, turning them around with a slotted spatula, until they are firm and golden, about 3 minutes.

6.
Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain. Let cool. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, carefully cut each kofta in half lengthwise and place in an ovenproof dish with the cut sides up.

7.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the sauce to the dish with the eggs, lightly mix in the cilantro, sprinkle the garam masala on top, cover the dish, and bake about 10 to 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Do not stir. Serve hot.

Kashmiri Hand-Pressed Meat Rolls in Curry Sauce

Kashmiri Lambae Koftae ki Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

A specialty of Kashmir, these spicy, palm-sized
keema
rolls, offset by the fragrant bite of
shahi-jeera
(black cumin), are almost an everyday fare in my friend Promella Dhar's home in New Delhi. She advises that to retain the shape of the rolls, refriger-ate them about 30 minutes before adding them to the sauce.