Kofta-h means pounded meat. Kofta is a Persian word that means meatballs. Although, vegetable balls and cream (malai) balls and paneer balls are a later adaptation of this dish. Kofta curry is usually tomato-onion gravy further accentuated with yogurt or cream and aromatic Indian spices. Kofta means fried ball which could be of ground meat, vegetables, cottage cheese, grains or lentils, and so on. The fried Kofta balls are further cooked in this gravy. I have been testing this recipe again and again since I first posted in 2018. It was good then but as I raised the bar of my own standards, it was not the best in appearance. And you could say I was obsessed and researched so much about what ingredients are used in authentic and traditional versions. I found Kofta curry or Indian Pakistan meatball curry has many versions. But the basic gravy is onion and tomato based. The variation is the addition of nuts, dairy like yogurt or cream, or coconut cream.
Why try this recipe?
Other ground meat recipes to look into are Chicken Kofta Curry, Mongolian Meatballs, Seekh kabab, and Chapli kabab. The almond in the recipe help thickens the gravy without getting watery. The blending of ground meat with bread for meatballs helps homogenize the texture of Kofta making them soft and unlikely to break. The technique of bhuna searing first and blending again makes the gravy smooth the flavor is accentuated. The cooking time has been considered and organized in a way that you can make gravy and Kofta simultaneously in a pot with just one extra vessel for blending.
Ingredients
Below you can see a visual presentation of the recipe. Remember, good kofta are those that are soft and juicy to bite and do not break easily while cooking. Oil: I use freshly pressed mustard oil which tastes very flavorful. You can use any neutral oil. Onion, Tomato, Ginger, Garlic, Green chili: Freshly chopped ingredients always taste best. Ground spices: These are common Indian spices ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, and chili flakes. You switch chili flakes with chili powder or cayenne. Adjust spice level as needed. Whole spices: A combo of cloves, pepper, cinnamon, and black cardamom works best. You can use other whole spices bay leaves and green cardamom too. Curry leaves also make good addition here. Bread: This is the binding agent in meatballs. To make this recipe gluten-free, use 2-3 tablespoons of dry-roasted gram or chickpea flour instead of bread slices. Yogurt: Yogurt adds richness to the gravy. You can switch it with coconut cream or even little heavy cream. Almonds: You can switch almonds with cashew. This brings the gravy together and keeps it thick and delicious.
How to make it?
The recipe is simple but I’ve still elaborated this recipe into 12 steps to make it easy to comprehend for juvenile chefs.
Expert Tips
Make ahead: You can make kofta balls ahead and freeze. Simply add frozen kofta to the freshly made gravy. You can make this kofta curry 24 hours ahead. How to store?: The kofta curry can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. It also freezes very well. Add boiled eggs: If you are a boiled egg lover, add hard-boiled egg quarters to the gravy. You’d thank me for the suggestion. Gluten-free: Switch bread in the kofta balls with 2-3 tablespoons of gram flour or chickpea flour. Nut-free: You can switch nuts with a little cream or just skip them. Dairy-free: Switch yogurt with coconut cream.
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📖 Recipe
