Kerala style Meatball Curry

I am Sitting , Wishing , Waiting for the time to turn the corner and embrace the new season. I wanna enjoy the redolent air of Spring , watch the blossoming trees and the true spirit of a new year. 

Spring always gives me the true glory of a new year , when you shed all the winter habits that you have been carrying from the past year .Come Spring , you change all your eating habits , come out of the hibernation and be active again. Thats all what you try to do on a new year right? What do you think?

Today's Special is a recent favorite of ours. The idea is basically  from Delicious magazine  and I adapted it by making it the same way as my everyday chicken curry.

Tiny meat balls mixed with garlic and chillies is cooked in masala infused coconut sauce. We pair it with Idiyappam or Puttu always and sometimes with Chapati. Its such an easy thing to make and definetly a good addition to your culinary repertoire .

Recipe for Meatball Curry / Meat Kofta Curry

Serves - 4

Total cooking time 30 minutes prep + 45 minutes cooking time

Ingredients:-

Bowl 1

Minced Meat - 250 gm( chicken , beef , lamb or turkey)

Garlic minced - 2 cloves

Green chili finely chopped - 2

Salt to taste

Bowl 2

Cloves - 2

Bay leaves - 1

Star anise - crushed - 1

Curry Leaves

Bowl 3

Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon

Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon

Onion chopped - 2 medium

Ginger - garlic paste or crushed- 1 tea spoon

Tomato chopped - 1 large

Garam masala - 1/4 tea spoon

Coconut milk - 1 cup

Hot Water - 1/2  cup

Salt to taste

Cilantro (optional)

Method:-

Combine all the ingredients in Bowl 1 and Knead into a dough and make small balls with it. 

(I usually give a quick  pulse in food processor. This helps the kneading process easy and the balls wont break when cooked)

Wet your hands as and when needed so that the meat wont stick to your hands.

( Keep the meatballs in a cookie sheet lined with parchment or foil in the refrigerator for like 20-30 minutes. This also helps in keeping it from breaking apart. Or you can just fry it in a lil oil , or bake it for 350 F for 20-30 minutes and continue with the process)

Heat Oil in a pan and add all in Bowl 2 and fry for a minute.Slide in chopped onions and saute till the color changes to brown.Add ginger garlic paste and mix well. Add chopped tomato and saute till the oil separates.

Make a paste with all in Bowl 3 by adding alittle water and add to the pan and fry for a minute or two..

Mix hot water and  1 cup coconut milk , add to the pan . Sprinkle garam masala,combine well

When the gravy is really hot slide in meat balls one by one at a distance 

It should not be allowed to touch each other, So always use a wide mouthed pan while cooking this.

Simmer covered for 30-45 minutes. Uncover and simmer till gravy thickens. 

Sprinkle with chopped cliantro

Serve warm with Chapati , Puttu or Idiyapam.

Cheers

Sarah