Delectable kofta curry is world’s local favourite

Kofta curry is a delectable dish, which can be enjoyed all year round, but I prefer to savour these especially enjoyed during winters, being comfort food. It is a sophisticated dish which involves ground meat with flavourings and herbs to make it tender and juicy. The kofta is world’s local favourite varying in taste and texture. You’ll find a local version of kofta in almost every corner of the world. The word ‘kofta’ is derived from the classical verb ‘Koftan’ which means “to beat” or to mince. Hence, the grounded meat is mixed with a range of spices. Kofta can be made with a variety of meats and are not necessarily meat. Vegetarians have their own variety made with vegetables or cheese. Making a kofta can be divided into a two-step process. The first one is to make the ground mixture to make a kofta and then is the accompanying sauce for the kofta to make it a kofta curry. Prepared kofta are simmered in a rich spicy sauce to make them more tender and juicy and make them wholesome. Special occasion koftas are occasionally stuffed to make them more exotic. Nargisi kofta is an example which comprises of ground meat with a boiled egg centre served in a curry sauce. Nargisi kofta is named after the Nargis flower and are served cut into half revealing the yellow of hard boiled eggs and has a marked resemblance to the elegant flower. Some foodies even relate the British scotch eggs with Nargisi kofta.Making a kofta is simple. The meat is grounded with garam masala and spices and shaped into a golf-ball-sized meatball and then either simmered in a flavoured broth, deep fried or baked to perfection.Vegetarians prepare the koftas to match the meat eaters by pressing into lauki (bottle gourd), kacha kela (raw banana), paneer (cottage cheese), aloo palak (potato spinach). An exotic vegetarian kofta is the aloo bokhara kofta (plum kofta) which encases a pitted dried plum. Some chefs also replace the dried fruit with almonds or pistachio as well.Exotic Mughlai recipes are rich in a variety of kofta recipes which are extra tender and more exotic versions of the regular koftas which were enjoyed in the royal palaces in the past. One such recipe is the Chui-Mui ke Kofte from Awadh, which tend to crumble in your mouth when you try to scoop out a bite sized portion, making you wonder how such a delicate thing endured the ordeal of cooking.Lamb Kofta CurryIngredientsServes 4For the meatballsLamb ground meat 2 lbGarlic cloves 6-8 clovesGinger mince 2 tbspCumin powder 1 tspCoriander powder 1 tspRed chili powder ½ tspSalt to tasteBlack pepper powder ½ tspTurmeric powder ½ tspEggs 2 nosCilantro chopped 4 tbspMint leaves chopped 4 tbspFor the kofta sauceOil 1 tbspCumin seeds ½ tspGinger garlic paste 1 tbspGreen chili, chopped ½ tbspRed onion, chopped 4 tbspTomato chopped 4 tbspTomato puree ½ cupCilantro chopped 2 tbspGaram masala 1 tspSalt to taste Clove 2-3 clovesGreen cardamom 2-3 podsBay leaves 1-2 leavesRed chili powder ½ tspTurmeric powder ½ tspMethod:Squeeze the ground lamb meat using a muslin cloth to extract the moisture and keep aside in a bowl.Add the eggs, salt, coriander powder, garam masala, minced ginger, garlic, cumin powder, black pepper powder, turmeric, cilantro chopped, and mint leaves chopped.Mix all the ingredients to combine well.Using a little water shape the meat into golf sized balls and keep aside.To make the kofta curry sauce, heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves.Let the cumin seeds splutter and add ginger garlic paste and sauté till light brown.Add chopped onion and tomato and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onions are translucent.Add salt, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and add tomato puree.Add two cups of water and gently add the kofta and simmer over slow flame.Stir gently to avoid breaking the kofta and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the kofta is cooked.Adjust the seasoning and add chopped cilantro. Serve hot with basmati rice or choice of bread.Note: You can also make the kofta sauce and toss in boiled pasta to make your own version of Indian meatball pasta. You can also simmer the prepared meatball sauce in water with salt and turmeric over medium heat. Then you can use the same water in the meatball sauce instead of water. This will make the sauce rich and make it taste better.