Lamb (Beef/Pork/Chicken) Koftae Meatballs
Meat ke Kofte
Mamta Gupta
Meat Koftas are easy to make and can be served in a variety of ways. As long you are not using defrosted meat, you can make them and freeze them too. This way, they are ready to cook as a snack/starter or to make a Kofta curry, Serve on a platter, garnished with thinly sliced lettuce and red onions and Green Mango Chutney or a Mint and Yoghurt dip or other dip of choice. They can be served cut into halves on a hot Pitta Bread or Nan, along with shredded lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes etc. You can serve them with one tooth-pick inserted in each ball on a platter, with a bowl of any of the dips above.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 lb. mince lamb or pork or beef or chicken
1 egg or 1 heaped tbs. besan/gram flour
2 slices of a medium sized white/whole wheat bread, crust removed
1 medium onion, peeled
1/2 inch root ginger, peeled
2 cloves garlic
1-2 green chillies. You can use red chillies if you dont have fresh green ones.
2 tbsp. coriander leaves or parsley or mint leaves or rind of half a lime
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6-7 strands of saffron soaked in a tablespoon of warm milk or water (optional)
1 full tablespoon of blanched pistachios or pine kernels/chilgoza (optional)
1 level tsp. Garam Masala
To serve
Chutney/yoghurt dips, see links from introduction.
Shredded onions/salads as per your choice.
Instructions
Place all ingredients, except meat and egg/besan, in a food processor and grind. If you do not have a food processor, grate bread, onion, ginger and garlic, chop green chillies and mint leaves very finely, chop pine kernels/pistachios.
Add all ingredients to meat and egg/besan in a large bowl, knead well and leave in the fridge, in an airtight container, for a couple of hours or overnight. This helps to infuse flavours.
Make into balls or flat burger shapes (small) or flat tear shapes. Rest for half an hour for them to set.
Cook on all sides; either shallow fry in a non-stick pan or cook under a grill or in a hot oven at 180-200? C, until nicely browned on all sides.
Serve hot. They can be made in advance and reheated on a tray in a hot oven.
