Tender spiced lamb meatballs simmered in a fragrant tomato gravy sweetened with a touch of jaggery.
Kofta curry is a well-loved North Indian dish where spiced ground meat (traditionally lamb or mutton) is shaped into meatballs, lightly fried or simmered directly, and finished in a rich tomato-onion gravy. This version balances the gravy's heat with a spoonful of jaggery, an unrefined cane sugar that rounds out the tomato's acidity -- a technique common in Punjabi and Mughlai-style home cooking. The key technique is keeping the koftas tender: overworking the meat mixture makes them dense, so it's mixed just until combined and shaped gently. Searing them briefly before they finish cooking in the gravy locks in a browned crust without drying out the interior, since they'll continue cooking gently as the sauce simmers. Served with basmati rice or naan, this dish rewards a slow-cooked gravy -- the onions and tomatoes need real time on the stove to break down into a glossy, deeply flavored sauce rather than tasting raw and thin.
Serves 4
Gently combine lamb, grated onion, garlic, garam masala, chile powder, and cilantro until just mixed. Shape into 16 small meatballs, handling minimally.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Sear koftas 3-4 minutes, turning to brown all sides. They don't need to cook through yet. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, heat remaining oil, add cumin seeds until sizzling, then add chopped onions and cook 10 minutes until golden.
Stir in ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute, then add crushed tomatoes and turmeric. Simmer 12-15 minutes until the oil begins to separate at the edges.
Stir in jaggery, water, and salt. Return koftas to the pan, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until cooked through and the gravy has thickened.
Garnish with extra cilantro and serve hot with basmati rice or naan.
Squeeze grated onion dry before mixing into the meat -- excess moisture makes the koftas fall apart while cooking.
Don't overmix the meatball mixture; handle it as little as possible for a tender result.
Simmer the tomato gravy until you see oil separating at the edges -- that's the visual sign it's properly cooked down, not raw-tasting.
Use ground beef or a beef-pork mix if lamb isn't available, adjusting seasoning slightly to taste.
Make it creamier by stirring in 2 tbsp of yogurt or cream at the end.
Add a pinch of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed over the top before serving for a restaurant-style finish.
Refrigerate up to 3 days; the flavor improves overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if the gravy has thickened too much. Freezes well up to 2 months.
Kofta curries trace back to Mughlai and Persian-influenced Indian cuisine, where spiced meatballs simmered in rich gravies were a hallmark of royal kitchens, later becoming a staple of North Indian home and restaurant cooking across Punjab and Delhi.
Yes, bake at 200C/400F for 12-15 minutes until browned, then add them to the finished gravy to simmer for the last 10 minutes.
This usually means the meat mixture had too much moisture, often from onion that wasn't squeezed dry, or the koftas weren't seared long enough to form a crust before simmering.
Yes, the gravy and koftas both reheat well -- make the full dish a day ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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