This North Indian keema kofta curry features tender ground mutton (or lamb) meatballs simmered in a fragrant, flavorful onion-tomato gravy. In our home, we call it keeme ke kofte, and while this heirloom recipe does take a bit of effort (as most good kofta recipes do), it's incredibly comforting and hearty.
It's the kind of dish that only gets better the next day, making it perfect for leftovers, if you're lucky enough to have any! While my favorite is with indian flatbreads, these can be served with rice too.
Keema koftas were one of those special meat dishes mom would make whenever we had guests over. Her logic? They were way less messy to serve (no meat bones to deal with!) and made it seem like you'd really put in the effort. Because let's be honest, making koftas is a bit of a project. It's a two-step process, and definitely not something you whip up in a rush.
For years, I followed my mom's recipe to the letter. Her kofta curry was soupy and made entirely with yogurt. Yep, no tomatoes at all. But once my kids grew up and developed their own taste (and expectations from Indian gravies), I tweaked it a bit.
You guessed it-tomatoes had to make an appearance, because to them, meatballs mean tomato sauce. So now, the kofta curry leans more towards a thickish masala, with onions, tomatoes and yogurt. It is such a balanced tasting, flavorful masala perfect for scooping up with rotis and breaking the koftas right into the gravy.
My recipe
- If you've seen my chicken kofta curry, this one's a little different. Mutton keema has a more flavor and doesn't need a lot, so we treat it differently. We add a few ground spices and a bit of besan (gram flour).
- Now here's something important to understand. Besan is important. For it helps in building structure by absorbing excess moisture so that the meatballs hold their shape and don't fall apart in the gravy.
- As the meatballs cook, their juices and fat melt into the gravy,which is exactly what we want for a flavorful masala. But the tradeoff? That same process can sometimes leave the koftas a bit dry or tough. That's why I add cashew paste to bring some of that richness back in. Don't worry, it won't make the koftas overly rich or heavy, rather the added fat keeps them soft.
- Now, a lot of people like to pan-fry the koftas before adding them to the gravy. Mom never did and you don't need to do that here. Fewer steps, fewer dishes to wash. Plus, cooking the koftas straight in the gravy means all that delicious meat flavor stays right where it belongs aka in the masala.
- I've tested this recipe with both ground lamb and goat keema, and it works beautifully either way.
Tips for Success
- Don't skip on grinding the keema. It breaks down the fibers and helps everything bind together very well, giving you that smooth, almost silky texture you want in a good kofta. I use my food processor/chopper for this.
- Shape the koftas about the size of a small lemon or ripe apricot (roughly 1.5 inches in diameter). This size cooks through evenly, stays juicy, and holds its shape. Larger kofta risk turning tough and miss absorbing the full flavor of the gravy to the core, while smaller ones can dry out too quickly. Keep in mind, they shrink considerably as they cook.
- Choose a wide enough cooking pot so you can add the koftas in a single layer without piling them on top of each other. Stacking can cause them to break apart in the gravy.
- Make sure you add the koftas to a gently simmering (not boiling) gravy. Slow cooking is the key here as it helps them stay tender and juicy.
- Once you've added the koftas to the gravy, put that spoon aside! Just gently swirl the pot to stir. This keeps them from breaking apart.
Ingredients
- Keema- Use any kind but 80/20 works best for kofta. That extra fat really keeps the koftas moist and flavorful.
- Yogurt - Preferably use full fat yogurt. Whisk and let stand on the kitchen counter to bring it closer to room temperature.
- Onions - We don't want onion paste, slices, or sliced onions or chunky pieces here. If you're chopping by hand, go as fine as you can. If using a food processor, pulse until the onions are just starting to break down, but stop before they turn into a paste. Since we are not cooking for hours and hours, onions dont get a lot of time to break down and a fine chop helps them melt into the masala to give you a cohesive, well-rounded gravy.
- Tomato Sauce/Tomato Puree- As I mentioned before, the sauce for kofte isnt tomato based, we use just a little bit, I use canned tomato sauce.
- Green Chillies- I use the hot, spicy Indian variety of green chilies.Thai chillies or serraro peppers work beautifully. For a real kick, you can add green chili paste, but I usually chop them instead, so the heat is more controlled (kid-friendly!).
Instructions
Prepare Kofta Mixture & Shape
Step:1 Add all the ingredients for making koftas to a food prcessor jar fitted with metal blade.
Step:2 Pulse until the kofta mixture is smooth and sticky. This breaks down the fibers and helps the koftas hold together with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Step:3 Transfer the kofta mixture to a bowl and mix/knead gently with oiled hands. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up. A chilled mixture is easier to shape.
Step:4 Scoop portions of kofta mixture(I use a cookie scoop). Rub some oil or little water on your hands and form the mixture into smooth, round balls. Let koftas stand while you make the masala.
Make Keema Kofta Curry
Step:5 In a wide cooking pot with handles (I use a 3qt, 12inch wide),heat up oil and add whole spices to it. Let fry for 8-10 seconds and then add the onions.
Step:6 Brown the onions on low medium heat, stirring constantly for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Put in ginger garlic pastes and fry with onions.
Step:7 Add ground spices except garam masala, a splash of water and cook the spices for 1-2 minutes until they dont smell raw.
Step:8 Add the tomato puree next and cook with onion and spices for 2-3 minutes or until you see oil seperating on sides.
Step:9 Next, lower the heat to low and add whisked yogurt to the masala. Continously stir after you have added the yogurt to avoid curdling. Cook until yogurt becomes part of masala and you see oil bubbles seperating in sides of pot.
Step:10 Add salt and warm water to the masala and bring to a slow boil. Carefully, slide the koftas into the simmering gravy. Swirl the pan to move them around, avoid stirring so they don't break.
Step 11: Cover and let the koftas cook on low heat until fully done, about 20-30 minutes. You will need to check in between. Add extra water if needed at any stage. They'll shrink slightly and soak up all that delicious masala.
Step 12: Turn off the heat, finish the kofta curry with garam masala powder and let rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the flavors settle. Sprinkle chopped cilantro for perfect finish. Serve with plain rice or flatbreads.
Notes
- Check the seasoning of your kofta mixture by pan frying a tiny kofta and tasting it.
- For a richer tasting gravy, you can mix in a little cashew paste when you add the yogurt.
Mutton Keema Kofta Curry (Meatball Curry)
Ingredients
To make Kofta
- 400 g mutton keema
- 2 tablespoon cashew paste soak and grind 12 whole raw cashews with 2-3 tablespoon of water
- 1.5 tablespoon besan (gram flour) dry roasted on slow heat in a skillet
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried mint
Ground Spices For Kofta Mixture
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (hot), adjust quantity to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 2 pinch ground nutmeg fresh grated is best
For Making Kofta Curry
- 3 tablespoon mustard oil sub cooking oil of choice
- 125 g onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 green chillies roughly chopped(for mild heat) or use green chilli paste to taste for kick
- 60 g tomato sauce
- 85 g plain yogurt not too sour, at room temperature
- 1+¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped to garnish
Whole Spices for Kofta Curry
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamom
- 1 twig mace
- 3 cloves
- 1 black cardamom else use 2-3 green cardamom
Ground Spices for Kofta Curry
- 1+¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (hot), adjust quantity to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ garam masala powder begin with ¼ teaspoon, can go upto ½ teaspoon depending on how strong your spice blend is
Instructions
Make The Kofta Mixture And Shape
- Add all the ingredients and ground spices for the koftas to a food processor jar fitted with the metal blade.
- Pulse the mixture until it becomes smooth and sticky. You will see threads in the mince mixture. This means that the meat fibers are broken and also ensures the koftas hold together while cooking, and also gives a soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
- Transfer the kofta mixture to a bowl and gently knead it 4-5 with oiled hands just until combined.Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up. A chilled mixture is easier to shape.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out the kofta mixture. Rub a little oil or water on your hands and shape the portions into smooth, round balls (about the size of small lemons). Let the koftas rest while you prepare the masala.Note - You can freeze the kofta for later use at this stage. Simply freeze them in a single layer for a few hours. Transfer the frozen kofta to a ziploc bag and freeze for 5-6 weeks
Prepare the Kofta Curry Masala
- In a wide cooking pot with handles ( I use a 3-quart, 12-inch wide pot), heat up mustard oil on medium heat until lightly smoky. Lower the heat and add the whole spices. Let them sizzle for 8-10 seconds to release their aroma taking care not to burn.
- Then add the onions. Cook the onions over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they turn golden brown. This takes about 8-10 minutes and is a key step in the color and flavor of your curry, please dont rush.
- Add ginger and garlic pastes, stir to combine, then add the ground spices (except garam masala) along with a splash of water. Cook this mixture for 1-2 minutes until the spices no longer smell raw.
- Add the tomato puree next and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the masala thickens slightly and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
- Lower the heat and add whisked yogurt gradually, stirring continuously as you add it to prevent curdling. Continously keep for at least 2 minutes after you've added yogurt. Cook until the yogurt fully blends into the masala and the oil starts to separate again.
- Season with salt, then add 1 cup warm water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Bring the masala to a gentle simmer.
- Carefully slide the koftas into the simmering gravy in a single layer, without piling. Gently swirl the pot to move the koftas around. Avoid stirring, as this could cause them to break.
- Cover the pot and let the koftas cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, checking once or twice. The koftas will shrink slightly and absorb the rich flavors of the curry as they cook. Add a splash of water or as needed if the masala gets too thick or to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
- Once done, turn off the heat, sprinkle garam masala over the curry, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm with plain rice or your favorite flatbreads.
Notes
-
- Check the seasoning of your kofta mixture by pan frying a tiny kofta and tasting it.
-
- For a richer tasting gravy, you can mix in a little cashew paste when you add the yogurt.
- Don't skip on grinding the keema. It breaks down the fibers and helps everything bind together very well, giving you that smooth, almost silky texture you want in a good kofta. I use my food processor/chopper for this.
- Choose a wide enough cooking pot so you can add the koftas in a single layer without piling them on top of each other. Stacking can cause them to break apart in the gravy.
- Make sure you add the koftas to a gently simmering (not boiling) gravy. Slow cooking is the key here as it helps them stay tender and juicy.
- Once you've added the koftas to the gravy, put that spoon aside! Just gently swirl the pot to stir. This keeps them from breaking apart.
-
-
Nisha says
This was super awesome Tanvi!!! I just added a little maida and garam masala in the meatballs. turned out to be tooo good. Thanks!
Bharat says
Tried the recipe today and it was fantastic loved it