Kofta ka saalan

Kofta ka saalan is a very popular dish in Gujarat, India. It’s a spiced meatball made of ground beef and chickpeas. It’s no doubt that this dish is delicious and the meatballs are also aromatic and light. This dish has a very interesting history. This is the story about this popular dish.

Kofta is a very popular dish in Indian cuisine, and some restaurants may not even offer the vegetarian version. If you are vegan, there are a few ways to make it. One of them is to replace the meat with mushrooms or chickpeas and make it the way the Hindus make it.

Every Indian diet has to have a kofta in it. There is no kofta without rice. Rice is the base of any meal and without it, it would be very difficult to go ahead. Rice is the staple food of Indians. Every Indian household has rice in it.

Meat balls (koftas) are prepared with minced meat, often lamb or mutton, plus a few spices and onions. Minced chicken, beef, shrimp, and fish may all be used to make meat balls. Mince may be purchased at your local supermarket or butcher. I usually purchase my meat from my neighborhood butcher since I can ask for a few meat bones (for flavor) and have the butcher mince it to my specifications (coarse or smooth mince). I’ve previously made a few meatball curry recipes, each of which differs from the others. In this curry, I added sliced round ring onions, mint, and coriander leaves towards the end to bring additional flavor and variety to the dish. I didn’t use bread crumbs or gram flour to bind this recipe; instead, just combine all of the ingredients in a mixer or food processor, crush to a smooth paste like mine in the photo, and roll into balls as desired.

Ingredients

Kofta

• • 300 g minced meat (lamb/mutton)
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted jeera powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves

Curry

• • 1/3 cup of oil
  • 200 gms onions (paste)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 200 gms tomato (paste)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp jeera powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 or 1/4 cup curd
  • 1 cup of water

Garnishing

• 1 onion (sliced)
• a handful of mint
• a few coriander leaves (chopped)
• a pinch of salt (to taste)
• 3 to 4 green chillies (slit)

Method

Kofta

• • Obtain a plate. Mix together all of the dry spices first, then add the mince meat, which I crushed to a smooth paste in my mixer. The kofta curry is intended to be a spicy meal, but you may adjust the heat by reducing or increasing the chile.
  • Mix in the chopped coriander leaves, cover with a lid or cling film, and chill for 3 hours or longer.
  • To prevent sticking and for smooth spherical forms, moisten your hands and palms before forming balls.
  • Make as many balls as you like and set them aside.
  • Take a kadai and pour in the oil for frying; the meat ball should be half-immersed or completely submerged in the oil.
  • When the oil is heated, add the meat balls one at a time, and continue to cook the rest in batches.
  • Don’t flip or shift the meat balls right away; wait 30 to 60 seconds before turning the other side.
  • Cook over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes each side, depending on the size of the meat balls.

Curry

• Separately, make an onion and tomato paste and set it away.
• In a pot, heat the oil, then add the entire spices and sauté for a few seconds.
• On medium heat, add the onion paste and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add all of the dry spices, a few bones (if desired), and the ginger and garlic paste, mix well, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the oil begins to leave the pan.
• Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly, since the onion mixture may split on you.
• Add the water, cover the lid, and simmer until all of the spices are thoroughly cooked and the oil begins to separate.
• Simmer the heat and add the curd; mix well and simmer for 5 minutes on a reduced temperature with the cover closed.
• Cook for 5 minutes on low heat with the lid closed, adding cooked koftas and mixing thoroughly.
• On top of the onion rings, mint, coriander leaves, and green chilies, cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• I served it with pulav rice and fried koftas.

Notes

• Fry the koftas until they are barely cooked through, as they will be in the curry.
• The koftas may be fried and served as an appetizer or snack, or they can be wrapped in naan or tortillas and served with any sauce and salad.
• For added flavor and taste, I always add the leftover bones to my curry.
• The curry’s consistency is entirely up to you.
• You may cook the meat balls in a little amount of oil and then add the leftover oil, about 1 tablespoon, to the curry for flavor.

Kofta, it is a popular dish among Hyderabadis, thanks to its soft, spongy texture that melts in your mouth. Though its origin is Arabic, its popularity in India has allowed it to evolve with a myriad of interesting recipes, including the Kofta curry. Sometimes called Hyderabadi koftas, it is made of finely chopped lamb or goat meat and spices, the exact recipe depends on the homes or restaurants.. Read more about beef kofta curry recipe and let us know what you think.