Meatball Curry

Meatball Curry is our household favorite dish,the homemade meatballs take this curry to the next level.Making the meatballs is definitely a labor of love,and totally worth it!

My grandmother makes this curry with her sweet pulav rice and my mother-in-law makes meatball curry with her kichidi pulav,and they both are a delicious combination.Every year for my husband's birthday I make meatball curry and kichidi pulav and that's his favorite comfort food.

Ingredients :-

1lb Ground Meat (use meat of your choice)

To be ground :-

• 1 small Onion
• 2 Green Chillies ( adjust to spice level)
• 1 inch Ginger
• 6 Flakes of Garlic
• 6 Mint leaves
• 8 tender stalks of Cilantro Leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 3 Dried Red Chillies or 1/2 teaspoon Chilly Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper powder or 6 Pepper Corns
• Salt to taste

Method (to make meatballs)

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil and  saute the onions till they are translucent.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and saute till they are cooked.
3. Add the fresh herbs,green chillies and the spice powders and all the ingredients included in the "to be ground" section,and cook it till the spices are nicely cooked.
4. Once cooked,Grind the cooked ingredients without adding water (if it does not grind,add a tablespoon of water) to a fine paste.
5. Add this ground masala to the ground meat and mix it well.
6. Take a little quantity of ground meat and make tight meatballs,as big as a lemon and keep aside.

Ingredients for the curry :

• 1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
• 1 Medium Ripe Tomato (finely chopped)
• 2 Green Chillies (adjust to spice level)
• 1 inch Ginger (finely chopped)
• 6 Flakes of Garlic (finely chopped)
• 12 Mint leaves (if using tender stalks add only 6)
• 12 Stalks of tender Cilantro Leaves
• 6 Curry Leaves
• 1 inch Cinnamom
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Green Cardamom Pods 
• 1/2 teaspoon Chilly Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 2 teaspoon Corriander Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• 1/4 cup of thick Coconut Milk
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tablespoon of Oil
• 1 and half cups of water

Method for making the Meatball Curry:

1. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a heavy based pot on medium heat,when the oil is heated,add the whole spices (cinnamom,cloves and cardamom) Saute the whole spices for a minute.
2. Add the Curry leaves and saute for a quick minute.
3. Add the chopped onions and saute them till they become translucent.
4. Add the chopped ginger and garlic,and saute this till the raw smell is gone.
5. Add the fresh herbs (cilantro and mint leaves).Saute this for another minute.
6. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste.
7. Add all the spice powders (chilly,turmeric,cumin,coriander and garam masala).
8. Saute this mixture,till your powders are cooked (saute this for a good 5 minutes).If the mixture sticks to the bottom of your pot,you can add a little water and continue to cook. (I usually like to transfer this masala in the blender and make a fine paste and then transfer it back to the pot,this is an optional step)
9. In another pot,boil a cup and half water.Once it is boiled,add the water to the masala.
10. Add your meatballs one by one to this curry,make sure your meatballs are far apart and do not use a ladle or spoon,or stir the curry when you add your meatballs,otherwise your meatballs will break or mash)
11. Cover your pot with a fitted lid and cook your meatballs in the curry for a good 15 to 20 minutes,until your meatballs have cooked.(to check whether your meatball is fulled cooked,take a meatball and cut it open,if its brown on the inside its cooked fully,if you see any pink spots,it needs to cook more)
12. Once the meatballs have cooked,add 1/4 cup of coconut milk,bring it to a boil and turn off the heat.
    
    Tip :
    
    • You can add potatoes to your curry,and boil them along with the meatballs.