Meat ball / Kofta curry

Kofta is a Middle Eastern / South Asian meatball or meatloaf. They are minced meatballs of usually beef or lamb, mixed with spices and onions (Wikipedia). It can also be made with any other meat or even vegetables.

This curry brings to my mind a big two-storey naalukettu, my uncle’s maternal house, which is very near to my home. What is remarkable about this family is that the men in that family are fine cooks. I have heard several times my auntie saying so much praise-fully about the taste and variety of the dishes they made.

One day my cousin told she had meatball curry from there. Till then I had never tasted, or even heard about such a dish. I was very fascinated on hearing it and yearned to taste it! It never chanced me to taste it until I got married!

In the early easygoing days as a novice housewife, there was not much to do after my hubby went to office. Experiments in the kitchen were the only means to escape boredom. So I tried the stuff once!

I made it again last week with some left over beef. Spicy meatballs immersed in thick creamy gravy, along with cooked basmati is an absolute delight!

Ingredients

For meatballs

1. Minced meat – ½ kg
2. Onion (very finely shredded) – 2 nos
3. Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
4. Green chillies (finely chopped)– 2 nos
5. Pepper powder –1 tbsp
6. Garam masala – 1 tbsp
7. Salt – as required

For gravy

1. Onion (sliced) – 2 nos
2. Tomatoes – 2 nos
3. Green chillies (split the edge)– 4 nos
4. Ginger paste – 1 tsp
5. Chilly powder - ½ tsp
6. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
7. Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
8. Garam masala – ½ tbsp
9. Medium thick coconut milk – 2 cup
10. Kassori methi – 1 tsp
11. Salt – as required
12. Sugar – ½ tsp
13. Oil – 3 tbsp

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients of meatball together.
2. Make small lemon sized balls and keep aside.
3. Immerse tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds.
4. After that immediately put them into some cold water.
5. Then peel off the skin and chop it finely and keep aside.
6. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, ginger and green chillies.
7. When onions are soft add chopped tomatoes and fry for a while.
8. Add chilly, coriander, turmeric and garam masala powders.
9. Stirring continuously fry them till oil starts to separate from the mixture.
10. Add coconut milk and salt and bring to boil.
11. Add meatballs and cook uncovered on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
12. When gravy thickens add sugar and kasoori mehti and remove from fire.

Beef Roast with Potato Wedges

Ingredients

1. Beef/ Mutton – 1 kg
2. Onion (thinly sliced) – 3 nos
3. Tomatoes (finely chopped) – 2 no
4. Potatoes (cut into long pieces) - 2 nos
5. Ginger (thinly sliced) – 2 ” long piece
6. Garlic pods (crushed) – 6 nos
7. Chilly powder – ½ tbsp
8. Coriander powder – 1 ½ tbsp
9. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
10. Garam Masala powder – 1tbsp
11. Oil – 4 tbsp
12. Salt – as required
13. Water – ½ cup
14. Curry leaves – a few
15. Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – a few

Method

1. Deep fry potatoes till golden brown and crisp.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and salt.
3. Fry till onions begin to change its color to light brown.
4. Mix all the powders with a little water and make a paste.
5. Add this to the pan and fry till oil starts to separate from the mixture.
6. Add tomatoes and fry till they are tender.
7. Add Beef/ Mutton pieces and ½ cup of water and mix well.
8. Lower heat and cover the pan with the lid.
9. Stir occasionally and cook till Beef/ Mutton is done.
10. Open the lid and cook in low flame till the gravy is dry.
11. Add the fried potatoes and chopped coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot with rice or chapattis.

Erachi pachakkaya ularthu - Beef and plantain fry - An authentic Cochin recipe

Ingredients

1. Raw plantain (cut into small cubes) – 1
2. Beef with fat – ½ kg
3. Onion (thinly sliced) – 1 no
4. Ginger (crushed) – 2 cm long piece
5. Button onion (crushed) – 4 pods
6. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
7. Chilly powder – 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder – 1 ½ tsp
9. Garam masala – 1 tsp
10. Curry leaves –a few
11. Oil – 3 tbsp
12. Salt – as required

Method

1. Cook beef, onion, ginger, salt along with half portion of chilly, turmeric and ¼ cup of water.
2. Add plantain and cook.
3. In a pan heat oil and add button onion, curry leaves and all the remaining spices.
4. Fry them till button onion and spices are well fried and oil starts to separate.
5. Add cooked plantain and beef and mix well.
6. When the curry begins to thicken remove from flame.

Beef Fry

Ingredients

1. Beef/ Mutton – 1 kg
2. Coconut (cut into ½ inch squares) – ½ cup
3. Onion (chopped) – 1 big
4. Ginger (thinly sliced) – 2 cm piece
5. Chilly powder – ½ tbsp
6. Coriander powder –1 ½ tbsp
7. Turmeric powder – ¼ tbsp
8. Garam Masala powder – 1 tbsp
9. Sugar – ½ tbsp
10. Oil – 4 tbsp
11. Water – ¼ cup
12. Salt – as required
13. Curry leaves – a few

Method

1. Cook beef along with all the other ingredients except oil till soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the cooked beef.
3. Stirring occasionally fry in a medium low flame.
4. Remove from fire when dry and brown in color.