Slow Cooker Lamb Kofta Curry

Asian Slow Cooking

 Kofta is the Hindi name for meatballs. Then the difference between Italian meatballs and this is the Indian spices and milk/cream which is added to form layers of flavors that burst in your mouth. The most important spices according to me are Cashews, Milk, and Fenugreek. This gives the sauce its creamy and rich taste.

Asian Slow Cooking

Asian Slow Cooking

HISTORY- Kofta's were introduced to India with the Muslim conquests. Kofta in Indian cuisine is normally cooked in spiced gravy or curry and sometimes simmered with hard-boiled eggs. Vegetarian kofta is generally eaten by Hindus, with the exception of Kashmiri Hindus who by and large prefer meat kofta.

The British dish Scotch eggs may have been inspired by the Mogul dish nargisi kofta where hard-boiled eggs are encased in a layer of spicy kofta meat.

Variations of Kofta is in many cuisines:

In Lebanese cuisine, kafta is usually prepared by mixing the ground beef with onion, parsley, allspice, black pepper, and salt.

In Moroccan cuisine, kufta may be prepared in a tagine.

In Greek Cusine their name is keftede and they are usually fried and eaten with yogurt.

They are very popular all around Albania and there are many small shops called Qofteri which offer Qofte and also serve beer.

Asian Slow Cooking

Ingredients
For Meat Balls

• 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
• 1 tbsp minced green chili (you can use jalapeño as well)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes. (It helps in binding and keeping the meatballs soft)
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Salt

For Curry Sauce:

• 1 cup chopped onion paste
• 1 ½ tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 ½ cups tomato puree
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tbsp garam masala
• 1 ½ tbsp coriander powder
• 1 ½ tbsp Kasuri methi (optional)
• 1/3 cup cashews (blanched and turned into a paste)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ tbsp. cooking oil plus 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• Salt

Direction

• Mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs.
• Wet your hands and make small lime-sized balls out of them. Put them on a baking sheet, cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least ½ hour and, at most, 1 day.
• Heat oil in a pan and cook the onions till brown and then mince it in a grinder. Add all the ingredients in the slow cooker.
• Mix it together and throw in all the meatballs.
• Cook in high for 3 hrs or low for 6 hrs.
• Serve it with hot rice or hot Indian bread.