Meat Ball Curry/Kofta Curry

Meat Ball Curry/Kofta Curry

Today's recipe is a delicious meat ball/ kofta curry which goes well with rice, pulao or naan. If you want to try something different for dinner try this kofta curry. This is a great dish to serve when you have friends over for dinner. Kofta curry is definitely worth a try-juicy and tender meat balls are cooked in a  rich tangy mildly spiced tomato based gravy enriched with aromatic spices.

The first time I tried the kofta curry was in Delhi and it was creamy  rich curry with lots of fresh cream and the meat balls were cooked over charcoal for a smoky flavor. So if you want that authentic flavor try barbecuing the meatballs before adding to the gravy. I wanted to try my own version of kofta curry and added cashew nut paste instead of cream and my family enjoyed for dinner with vegetable pulao and naan .For a richer, creamier texture you can also add cream. You can use minced mutton of beef or even try a vegetarian version of this curry with mashed potatoes,paneer or any other veggies of your choice. The flavors and taste will tickle your taste buds. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
To make the meat balls
Minced meat- 1 lb
Onion- 1 medium
Egg-1
Bread crumbs- 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Minced green chili-  1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Butter- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves- 3 tbs

For the gravy
Onion-2 medium
Tomato puree- 1 1/2 cup
Tomato paste- 1 tbs
Ginger garlic paste- 1 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts- 10
Chill powder- 2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Meat masala- 1 tbs
Kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves- a pinch
Chopped coriander leaves- 3 tbs
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Butter- 1 tsp
oil
salt to taste

To make the sauce 
Mince onions and keep aside. Soak the cashew nuts for 10 minutes and make a fine paste. Take four to five tomatoes and make a fine puree.
Heat oil in a pan and add the minced onions and saute till golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste and tomato paste and fry till the raw flavor disappears. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder,coriander powder,sugar, salt and after a minute add the cashew paste. Saute this in medium flame for 3-4 minutes and add the tomato puree. Saute for two minutes and add one cup of water. Simmer this medium for 7-8 minutes or till oil separates. Mean while make the meat balls/koftas

To make the kofta 
In a bowl add minced meat, onion, ginger garlic paste, minced chili, pepper powder,salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Add one egg, bread crumbs, one tsp of melted butter and chopped coriander. Mix to form a uniform mixture and make small ball. Heat oil in a pan and fry the meat balls. You can either shallow fry or deep fry. Fry till all sides are slightly brown.

Add this into the simmering gravy. Mix in garam masala and meat masala.Cover and cook for 15 minutes or till the gravy reaches the desired consistency.Add a tsp of butter and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

You might also like,
Paneer Malai Kofta Curry
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Shami Kebabs
Tandoori Chicken
Butter Chicken
Country Captain/Mild Chicken Curry with Saffron

Like to try more chicken and meat recipes, check my page- 100 Chicken/Meat Recipes.
Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Spicy Stuffed Eggplant-Mediterranean Diet

Spicy Stuffed Eggplant

Today's recipe is meat stuffed spicy eggplant inspired from Lebanese and Turkish Cuisine. Recently I am trying  lot of stuffed dishes with chicken,squid and fish. This stuffed eggplant is now one of my top favorites. Eggplant is a versatile veggie and cooked in the right way, you can create innumerable recipes with it.Fried or baked eggplant is tender and tasty and goes well with rice. If you are not a great fan of eggplant/aubergine, try this stuffed version.It is insanely good and I am sure will change the way you think about this humble veggie.

Stuffed eggplant is great as a main course dish. You can serve it with rice,bread or with fresh salad and you have a satisfying dinner. Recently I have been trying a Mediterranean diet and this dish is perfect and filling with veggie salad. It is also perfect when you have guests as it is filling and makes a pretty presentation.In Turkish and Mediterranean region Karniyarik is an imperial dish fit for a King or chieftain.You can use lentils and mushroom for a vegetarian version.There is also a Thai version of stuffed eggplant using chicken and spicy sambal.You can pan fry the eggplant,steam it or grill it until the skin is charred and the pulp tests soft when pierced with a fork. You can serve stuffed eggplant as an appetizer too. Cut into thick one inch slices,grill them and top with the filling or use small variety eggplant for bite size individual servings. This filling freezes like a charm, so feel free to make a big batch. You can be creative with it, top it on a sandwich or use it in a wrap. The options are endless. The recipe is adapted from the book The Frugal Gourmet,by Jeff Smith and Food and Wine Try this you will surely love it.

Cooking time- 45 minutes
Cuisine- Turkish recipe

Ingredients
Eggplant- 2
Ground lamb or beef- 1 pound
Tomato puree- 1 cup
Chopped onion- 1 large
Garlic- 3 cloves
Chopped red bell pepper- 1 cup
Chopped parsley- 1/4 cup
Toasted pine nuts-  1 tbs
Tomato Paste- 2 tbs
Hot pepper paste- 2 tbs
Paprika- 1 tsp (optional)
Ground all spice- 1/2 tsp
Ground Cumin-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder- 1/4 tsp
Black pepper and salt to taste
Ghee- 1 tsp
Oil- 2 tsp
Sliced green bell pepper or tomato- for garnish

Steps to make this recipe..
Step one is to bake the eggplant with salt and pepper till it is soft in the inside.
Step two is to make the spicy and flavorful filling with meat onions and tomatoes.
Final stage is to spoon in the filling and on top of the eggplant and bake. Keep reading for the detailed step by step instructions.

Cut eggplant into half length wise. Sprinkle salt cover and set aside for 10 minutes. Using a paper towel pat dry. 
You can use the pan fry method or bake in the oven. Drizzle  eggplant with oil , salt and pepper to taste and place on baking sheet. Set oven temperature to 350 degree and bake until the skin is charred and the pulp is soft when pierced with a fork. Using the fork gently push down gently till it forms like a boat or a depression enough to spoon in the filling.

To make the filling,heat ghee and oil in a pan and add ground meat and saute till the meat is slightly brown. Add chopped onions, garlic and bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add tomato puree and simmer for 5-6 minutes or till the oil separates. Mix toasted pine nuts,tomato paste, hot pepper paste and all the spice powder. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or till all the water evaporates. Mix in the chopped parsley and switch off the flame. Allow this mixture to cool down a bit.

Place the baked eggplant in a baking dish.Spoon this filling on top of the baked eggplant. Place sliced green bell pepper or sliced tomatoes. Bake at 350 degree F for about 10 minutes. Serve with flavored rice or salad or pita bread.

Like this recipe, try other similar recipes,
Spicy Eggplant Fry
Stuffed Squid with Spicy Prawns Filling
Tuna Fish Patties
Vietnamese Fish Cakes
Crispy Calamari/Squid Rings

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Karal Ularthiyathu/Mutton Liver Pepper Fry

Karal Ularthiyathu/Mutton Liver Pepper Fry

Spicy liver fry or masala tastes delicious.This recipe is liver/karal Ularthu, which is a kind of stir fry. The liver is cooked first and then stir fried with the masala.You can also make chicken or meat using the same recipe.Usually thin slices of coconut is added to the ularthu,but here I have used grated coconut.The star ingredients in this recipe is crushed chilly flakes  and pepper, which gives a nice spice kick. This goes well with rice and chapathi.



Ingredients

Goat liver  - 1/2 Kg
Shallots- 10-15
Ginger- 2  inch thick
Garlic-2-3
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
(or thinly sliced coconut- 3 tbs)
Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Whole red chilly-5
(or according to spice tolerance)
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Coconut oil
Salt to taste

Cut liver into small cubes. Rub with salt and turmeric powder and wash liver pieces thoroughly for at least three to four times. Drain out all the excess water and keep aside.

You can use a heavy bottom pan. Add liver, turmeric powder and pepper powder and 1/4 cup of water. Do not add too much water  as liver will start oozing out water. Add salt only when liver is almost cooked other wise it can make it tough. Continue cooking till soft and all the water evaporates.

In a mixer coarsely blend dry red chilly,shallots, ginger, garlic and a few curry leaves.

Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves. Fry coconut and fennel seeds till it changes color. Next add the onion chilly mixture and saute till golden brown.Mix all the dry spice powders and fry till oil separates. Add the cooked liver and mix well till the masala is well coated.If it is too dry sprinkle little water.Saute for 3-4 minutes and switch off the flame. Serve with rice.

 

Try it,
Hope you will enjoy!

Kerala Beef Biryani

Kerala Beef Biryani

Biryani is a glorious one pot meal,satisfying and delicious. It is an exotic dish prepared and served on all festive occasions. The rice and meat is gently spiced and flavored with earthy spices. Biryani is a one pot meal, but not easy (of course there is a quicker pressure cooker version! ), as prepping and making a good biryani is time consuming. But once in a while I do crave for Biryani  as a weekend dinner. I have already shared a lot of Biryani recipes in this blog. Here's one more to the list- it is a Kerala style beef biryani. 


Ingredients
To cook rice
Kaima Rice- 3 cups
Ghee- 1 tsp
Fried onion- 2 tbs
Salt- to taste
Water- 6 cups
Cinnamon- 2 inch
clove- 4-5
Star Aniseed - 2
Green chilly -1
Chopped pineapple- 3 tbs
Mint leaves- a few

For the masala

Beef - 1 kg
Ghee- 3-4 tbs
Shallots- 1 cup
Green Chilly- 10
Ginger- 2 inch piece
Garlic pods- 8-10
Tomato-3 small
Carrot Cubed- 3/4 cup
Chopped coriander leaves and mint- 1 tbs
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Lemon juice- 1 tbs
Garam masala powder- Roast and make a fine powder of the following
(Fennel- 1 tsp,Cinnamon- 1 inch thick,Cardamon- 3,Black pepper- 1 tbs,Black cumin/ jeera- 1/2 tsp, Curry Jeera/cumin- 1/2 tsp,Cloves- 5-6,nutmeg- a small piece,Mace- 2-3)
salt to taste
Lemon- 1
oil


To make a paste
Coconut- 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts- 1/4 cup
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp

To Garnish
Onion thinly sliced- 4 medium
Cashew nuts- 10
Raisins- a hand full
saffron- a pinch
Ghee- 2 tsp
mint leaves
Coriander leaves
  

 Prepping for the biryani
1)Marinate the meat with chilly powder, coriander powder, salt and juice of half lemon. Set this aside for one hour.
2)Heat ghee and oil in a pan and fry raisins and cashew nuts till golden brown,drain and set aside.
3)Fry thinly sliced onions till crispy and golden brown. Drain and set aside . You can use this onions in three stages, cooking rice,masala and final garnish.
4)Make a fine paste of cashew nuts, coconut and fennel seeds.
5)Crush shallots,green chilly, garlic and ginger into a course paste.
6)Roast the spices listed under masala and make into a fine powder.
7)Chop mint and coriander leaves and set aside.

Cooking the rice

Wash and drain rice completely dry. Heat one tbs of ghee. Add the whole spices and saute. Next add green chilly, chopped pineapple and mint leaves and saute for a minute. Next add rice and 2 tbs of fried onion and stir fry gently for one minute. Add salt, and 6 cups of warm water and cook till the rice is 80% done.Squeeze half of a lemon over the rice and fluff the rice with fork.


To make the masala.
Heat oil in a pan and add the crushed onion, ginger,garlic and green chilly mixture. Saute for 5-6 minutes in medium flame till is golden brown. Add turmeric and tomatoes and cook till it is soft.Add the marinated meat,half of the fried onions and saute in low flame for five to six minutes.Add salt, coconut cashew paste and one cup of water. Pressure cook the meat till soft and tender ( 5-6 whistles). When it cools down remove the lid of the pressure cooker. There will be gravy at this stage. Add the powdered garam masala, some chopped coriander and mint and chopped carrot. Cook till the gravy thickens.


Layering the Biryani.
Use a heavy bottom pan. Add one tsp of ghee and spread a layer of the meat masala and then a second layer of rice. Add a portion of chopped mint and coriander, fried onion and a second layer of meat. Again add rice and spread chopped coriander leaves, fried onion and cashew nuts, raisins and pineapple. Add a pinch of cardamom powder a tsp of ghee on top. Cover and seal with a tight lid.Put it on very low flame for about 10 to 15. Serve with salad,pickle and papads.

You might also like,
Thalashery Chicken Biryani
Neychoru/Ghee Rice
Kerala Fish Biryani
Arabian Bukhari Rice
Middle Eastern Jeweled Palif
Persian Saffron Rice

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Koorka Irachi Curry/Chinese Potato and Beef Curry

Koorka Irachi Curry/Chinese Potato and Beef Curry

Today's recipe is a delicious combo of Koorka and beef .Koorka/ Chinese potato is a healthy and tasty vegetable.It is a seasonal vegetable yet popular in Kerala. This recipe is inspired from my sisters college hostel memories. She used to talk about delicious ethakka/plantain beef and koorka beef  that they had from college canteen. This is a simple and delicious curry and is a  perfect side dish for rice and parottas.



Ingredients
Beef - 3/4 Kg
Koorka/Chinese potato- 1/2 kg
Tomato -2
Shallots- 1 cup
Chopped onions-1 medium
Chopped ginger-1 tbs
Chopped garlic- 6-7 pods
Vinegar- 1 tsp
Chilly powder-2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2  tsp
Meat masala- 1 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Coconut oil- 3-4 tsp

 To clean the koorka/Chinese potato the easiest way is to put them in a cloth bag or a sack and gently hit a few times on hard surface or on the floor. It sounds weird but you will notice that the skin will get separated in this process. If there is any excess left, scrape off with a knife. Wash thoroughly and then cut into small pieces.

Clean and wash beef and cut into small pieces. Marinate with ginger garlic paste,vinegar,pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt. Set aside for half an hour.
Cook marinated  beef, sliced onion and koorka in pressure cooker. Add half cup of water and cook in medium flame till 3 whistles, reduce the flame and continue cooking  for another 5-6 minutes and switch off the flame. Allow it to cool down a bit.

Heat coconut oil in a pan and add chopped shallots and curry leaves and saute till golden brown. Add  chopped tomato and saute till it turns soft and mushy.Add chilly powder,coriander powder, meat masala and garam masala and mix. Now add in the cooked meat and koorka and half cup of water.Simmer for another 4-5 minutes or till the gravy thickens

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Beef Varattiyathu

Beef Varattiyathu

Here is a simple and delicious recipe with beef. This is a spicy beef preparation which is neither a curry nor a fry...its somewhere in between.Beef is pressure cooked and then the gravy is thickened  till it becomes dry and gets well coated with the meat.It is perfect side dish for rice and parottas.

Ingredients

Beef - 3/4 Kg
Chopped Onions-2
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1 1/3 tsp
Fennel powder- 1 tsp
Cloves -3-4

Shallots- 1 cup
Coconut slices- 1/2 cup
Curry leaves- a few
Coconut oil- 3 tsp

Clean and wash beef into small pieces. Marinate with ginger garlic paste and all the spice powders( turmeric powder,chilly,coriander and pepper and fennel) and salt keep aside for half an hour. Pressure cook this with chopped onions and half cup of water. Put heat in high and after one whistle reduce to low flame and cook for two more whistles. Remove lid and continue cooking till all the gravy thickens.
Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves and coconut slices and saute till coconut pieces become golden brown. Add in the shallots and saute till it changes color. Now add in the cooked meat and allow to get roasted. Serve with chapatis,rice or parottas.

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy..

Liver Varattiyathu

Liver Varattiyathu

Liver recipes is very popular in Kerala. I have already posted a chicken liver fry. This is a different preparation and is spicy and delicious with very less gravy.It is spicy and peppery. You can increase or decrease pepper according to taste and spice tolerance. It is a very quick recipe. All you do is pre-cook the liver with spices and finally roast it with little oil and curry leaves . Try this you will surely love it...

Ingredients

1)Chicken/Mutton Liver- 1 lb

Shallots sliced-  1 1/2 cup

Ginger sliced- 2 inch peice

Garlic- 2-3 pods

Green chilly- 3-4

Turmeric  powder- 1/3 tsp

cumin- a pinch (optional)

Pepper powder- 1 1/3 tsp

Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp

Fennel powder- 1 tsp

Clove powder- a pinch

(you can also add just 3/4 tsp of garam

masala instead of fennel and clove powder)

2)Curry leaves- two springs

Sliced ginger- 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil- 3 tsp

salt to taste

Cut liver into desired cubes. Rub with salt and turmeric powder and wash liver pieces thoroughly at least three to four times and drain out all the excess water and keep aside.

You can use a heavy bottom pan with a lid or the pressure cooker. If using pressure cooker do use whistle.

Put all the ingredients listed under 1 and add three tsps of water. Do not add too much water  as liver will start oozing out water. Add salt only when liver is almost cooked other wise it can make it tough. Cook this in medium flame for 8-10 minutes and add salt continue to cook without lid till all the water get evoporated.

Heat coconut oil in a fry pan and add ginger and curry leaves and roast till there is a nice aroma. Add the cooked liver and saute and till all the masala gets well coated and gets slightly roasted. Serve with rice,bread or chapatis..

Try this..

Hope you will all enjoy..