Lamb Malai Kofta

It has been sometimes since i whipped up something with lamb in my kitchen. My very first lamb dish few years ago was a disaster. That's explained why i stay away from lamb dishes. I enjoy my lamb on my plate but not preparing it...sounds like my lamb fobia still somewhere in me (is there any special name for lamb fobia?)


Finally, i decided to do something with my kitchen fobia. Someday, somehow i have to do it for the sake of my family. I couldn't punish my household for my fobia.  Here i am with my very first lamb dish in my blog....i cannot believe i'm blogging lamb dish.....hmmmmmm

I bet you this vibrant looking gravy is worth my fobia. Kofta is a hindi name for meatballs & malai is cream. Thus, this is the lamb meatballs cooked in creamy gravy with lot of flavours in between


Ingredients:

For the koftas

1 kg ground lamb
3 potatoes boiled & mashed
1 tsp ginger paste
1tsp garlic paste
1 green chilled chopped
1 stalk cilantro/coriander leaves chopped

For the gravy

2 white onion chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp kasturi methi (fenugreek leaves)-optional
1/2 heavy cream/cooking cream
1 1/2 cup tomato puree
1 1/2 tbsp chilly powder
1 cup tomato puree
1/3 cup cashew nuts( blanched and paste)
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 bay leaf/briyani leaf
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste

Methods

Meatballs

In a large bowl, mix well all the meatball ingredients. Make a small lime sized balls.  Refrigerate the meatballs for an hour.

Preheat the oven 200' C or 400' F and bake the meatballs for 20 mins. You can deep fry the meatballs if you are not using oven. Simply heat oil in a pan and drop the meatballs. Fry in a medium heat till golden brown. Toss and keep aside.


Gravy

In a large pan, heat the oil and ghee. Add onion,ginger garlic paste and bay leaf. Cook the ingredients till golden brown in a medium flame.

Once golden brown, add chilly powder,cumin powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder & salt. Stir and add in tomato puree.

Cook the sauce for 2 mins before adding cashew paste and cream. Cook till oil form in the edges of the pan. At this point, add garam masala & kasturi methi.

Add in the meatballs and gently stir for the sauce to cover the meatballs. Do not over stir which may cause the meatballs to break. Turn the heat to low and cook for another 6 mins.

Serve it hot with white rice, naan or bread.


Notes:

• The gravy will taste even better if you\ could give it standing time for 15-20 mins. By doing this, the koftas will marry well with the spices and gravy 

• Kasturi methi (fenugreek leaves) are easily available in indian groceries.