Traditional Kofta Curry is made with beef meatballs but the first time I made it I used chicken thighs, simply because that’s what I had on hand. This time, I happened to have fresh meatballs ready to go, so I used those instead. The recipes vary slightly depending on the protein, but the end result was the same, a smooth, silky curry sauce infused with warm, aromatic spices and rich enough without being heavy.
Tip : I used store‑bought fresh seasoned meatballs, and they turned out to be a huge time‑saver, plus they worked wonderfully in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 12 beef meatballs
- 1 medium onion
- 2 tbsp oil
- 6 small whole cardamom pods
- 1" piece cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup passata or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- water
- kosher salt to taste
- 2-3 sprigs chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
- Add 12 beef meatballs to a medium sized skillet and cook the meatballs over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until both sides are golden.
- Peel and chop 1 medium onion .
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep sided skillet over medium high heat until the oil is hot, about 1 minute, add onions and fry until the onions are brown 4-5 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste and fry for another minute.
- Add 1 bay leaf, 6 small whole cardamom pods, 1" piece cinnamon stick, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, and 2 tsp ground coriander and fry for another minute.
- Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and 1 cup passata or tomato sauce and stir to combine. If the mixture seems a little thick, add a couple of tablespoon of water at a time until you get the desired consistency.
- Add 1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream and stir to combine then return the 12 beef meatballs and mix well coating all the meatballs.
- Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes to heat the meatballs through.
Serving
- Serve with warm naan bread, plain rice or Potato, Peas and Green Pepper Curry
- Sprinkle curry with 2-3 sprigs chopped fresh cilantro for garnish.
