Pakistani Beef Kofte

Meatballs! Just about everybody has some version, and they are always popular. These look like they should go on spaghetti but rice will be a better choice, I think. We had these with Vegetables Sabzi and thought they made a great combination. I kept the vegetables fairly mild and piled on the heat in the meatballs, but you can of course adjust them how you like.

This looks like a huge long recipe, but it's easy and the steps can be broken up. Mix up the spices a day or two in advance, if that helps. The meatballs could also be formed, covered, and stored in the fridge for a few hours before cooking. The actual cooking is simple, straight-forward and doesn't take all that long.

6 servings
1 hour 45 minutes - 1 hour prep time

Mix the Spices:
3 or 4 pods green cardamom
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon chick pea flour

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Toast the whole spices (cardamom through peppercorns) until fragrant but barely showing any change of colour. Turn them out at once into a shallow dish to cool. 

Crush the cardamom pods and remove and discard the papery green hulls. Grind them with the rest of the whole spices until quite fine; I find it easiest to sift them half way through and regrind the coarse bits. Mix in the ground spices and chick pea flour and set aside until needed.

Make the Meatballs:
500 grams (1 pound plus) lean ground beef
1 small onion OR 3 shallots
2 large cloves of garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chick pea flour
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red chile powder

Put the ground beef into a mixing bowl. Peel and finely chop the onion or shallots, and add it to the bowl. Peel and mince the garlic and add it to the bowl. Wash, dry, and chop the herbs; add them along with the eggs, salt, chile, and half of the prepared spice mixture.

Mix well by hand. Form into meatballs; you should get about 24 of them. Place them on a plate not quite touching each other as you make them.

Make the Sauce & Cook the Meatballs:
1 large onion
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
2 cups chopped or crushed (canned) tomatoes
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
the juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup yogurt

Peel and chop the onion. Peel and grate the ginger, and peel and grate or mince the garlic.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven type casserole dish over medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs until lightly browned all over. Add the onions and continue cooking, and stirring carefully so as not to break the meatballs until they onions are softened and reduced in volume. Add the remaining spice mixture, ginger, and garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Add the tomatoes, water, and bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir very gently occasionally to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Add the lemon juice and yogurt and simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce becomes smooth; continue to stir regularly.

Serve the meatballs with steamed rice or naan bread. Vegetables Sabzi make an excellent dish to serve with them.




Last year at this time I made Turkish Broccoli & Carrot Salad.

Posted in: Ontario Food