Kashmiri Meatball Curry ©

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 30 mins

4-6 Persons

Ingredients

750 g  good quality minced beaf, fat free

1 egg

9 tsp garam masala spice powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

800 ml  thick Greek yogurt

salt

3 tbs olive oil

7.5 cm cinnamon stick

6 green cardamom pods, bruised

2 fresh bay leaves

6 whole cloves

5 cm piece fresh root ginger, finely grated

2 tbs chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

To Cook Basmati Rice

Add 2 cm water to your medium saucepan together with 1/4 tsp salt. Rinse 1 cup of basmati rice  in a sieve under cold water.

Bring to the boil, turn heat to minimum and leave rice to swell until all the water is absorbed, 10 minutes. Proportions should be, 1 cup of rice to 2 of water.

Method

1.Put mince, 1 tbs of the oil, garam masala, cayenne and 6 tbs yogurt in a bowl. Season with salt, 1 tsp approximately and mix well using your hands.

2. Wash hands clean and oil palms, with a few drops of oil. Place a table spoon of  the meat mixture in your hands. Shape into 16 oblongs, about 4-5 cm long.

3.Heat oil in large shallow based saucepan, (where they can all fit, 28 cm diameter,) add cinnamon, bruised cardamom pods, bay leaves and cloves.

Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add meat balls and fry until lightly browned on all sides. Do not hurry to turn them over, they need to brown well first, otherwise they will disintegrate. Best way to turn them is to unstick them with a long narrow spatula and turn them over with the help of a fork.

4. Add ginger at the end of the frying time, fry for a few more seconds and then add remaining yogurt, dilute with a little water before pouring over.

5. Simmer gently,with lid on for 20 mins. Taste sauce for seasoning, add more yogurt if wished. If the yogurt appears to have curdled,remove from heat and just add a little more yogurt just before serving and it will come right. Don’t re-boil.

6. Serve in warmed serving dish along with Basmati rice ( see instructions above) and garnish with freshly  coriander leaves.

N.B. The spices you will find in Indian stores.

Place ingredients in bowl and mix.

Mix thoroughly with hands . Wash hands clean and oil palms. Now form into oblongs.

Finely grate ginger to have ready to add after frying.

Cover base of large saucepan 28 cm in diameter with olive oil and add cinnamon, cardamon and cloves, along with two bay leaves.

Heat oil and spices until just beginning to form bubbles, 3-4 minutes and add your meatballs.

Fry until well browned, then turn over using a spatula to unstick and a fork to turn over. Make sure they are well browned, before turning over, or they will disintegrate.

Add finely grated ginger in last two minutes of cooking.

Finally pour over remaining yogurt, diluted with a little water. Simmer very gently for ten minutes. Should this curdle in the cooking, add more yogurt just before serving and the sauce will combine.

Final Result!

Serve on warmed plates together with basmati rice.

Delicious!