Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatball} Curry

This Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatball} Curry is an easy version of a popular Pakistani meatball curry. Succulent, juicy meatballs made with ground meat are individually fried and then immersed in a spicy curry. One of my personal favorites, I just had to find this easier and healthier way of making them!

What Is a Kofta?

Kofta is a term used for meat that has been pounded and ground. In Pakistani Cuisine it is used to refer to meatballs cooked and served in a rich curry. Although it is not clearly known who made the first meatball, per dawn.com it is widely believed that the origin lies in Persian and Arabic Cuisine.

The Different Types of Koftas

There are many different types of Kofta Curry Recipes popular in South Asian Cuisine. The meat-based ones are the most popular in Pakistan.

However, Malai kofta curry, veg kofta curry and Lauki kofta are some of the more well-known vegetarian ones.

There is also an exotic beef kofta curry called Nargisi kofta, which is reserved for special occasions.

Then again, chicken kofta curry recipe and lamb kofta curry are also very popular with those who don’t like to eat beef.

Regardless of which one you opt for, you will not be disappointed!

How To Make the Koftas?

The first step is to make the koftas or meatballs. Although most traditional recipes call for frying the meatballs, I usually bake mine. This method of cooking is much quicker and a lot healthier.

What Meat to Use for The Koftas

Pakistani Koftas are usually made from ground beef or ground goat meat. A little bit of fat is necessary to bind the koftas. If you use beef then make sure it has at least 20% fat. In the case of goat meat, there is usually enough fat in the meat to do the job.

Ground lamb can also be used and some people make their koftas from ground chicken for health reasons or personal preference. The chicken ones can be a little tricky though, due to the lack of fat!

How To Make The meatballs

Making the Kofta Mixture is easy. Simply put all the ingredients listed in the recipe card through a food processor, puree and mix in with the ground meat in a large bowl.

My recipe is simple and doesn’t require complex ingredients like poppy seeds or chickpea flour/gram flour. Just some chopped onions, green chili, fresh coriander (including the coriander stalks), garlic, ginger and a few dry spices along with some slices of bread do the trick.

The best way to make the koftas is to let this meat mixture sit for about half an hour so the spices can flavor the meat.

Then it’s time to shape the kofta balls. Make sure you take equal portions of meat and make smooth balls so that your meatballs are a uniform size and don’t crack as they cook.

Then, where the traditional method calls for taking a frying pan to deep fry the koftas, I simply bake mine. This is healthier and a lot less work!

How To Make The curry

The second step in the process is to make the curry. This is a little trickier to make than most other meat-based curries. We can't sauté the meatballs in the curry at the end, as we do other types of meat, as they would break apart.

The Curry Base

As such, the curry has to be the perfect consistency by the time we add the koftas. Start off by preparing the curry base by adding a few tablespoons oil in your cooking pot, preferably a nonstick pan. Turn your stove on high and then add your onions to the hot oil.

Once the onions are a golden brown, add the garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Then, add some fresh tomatoes or tomato puree along with a little water and cook the mixture on medium heat till the onions are soft. Some people like to use tomato paste but I prefer fresh tomatoes or puree made from fresh tomatoes.

The Spices

Once the onions seem soft {about 15 minutes or so}, uncover the pot and turn up the heat to dry out any excess water. Now it’s time to add the spices; salt, red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder is my personal favorite combination.

 I do like to add a teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder for a little extra flavor and some nice color if I’m making the Koftas for entertaining. Some people like to add whole spices like peppercorn, cumin seeds and green cardamoms to their curry, while others add a teaspoon garam masala powder to their curry. I keep mine simple, but you can experiment with any of these add ins.

The Yogurt

Whatever you choose to add in, stir fry the mixture and add in the yogurt, a little at a time. Adding in all of the yogurt at once causes it to curdle so add in a few tablespoons at a time and fry till you have a thick creamy gravy.

Finishing The Curry

The last step is to add in the ginger, green chilies and koftas along with a little extra liquid. Cover and cook on low heat till the oil separates and rises to the top. Garnish with some Cilantro leaves, dish out in a serving bowl and enjoy!

NOTE: The boiled eggs are an optional add in. I love them and often {but not always} add them to my Kofta Curry. The choice is yours. Just boil, halve and add in at the time of serving.

My Koftas Are Too Hard

Koftas are easy to make if you follow a few simple steps. If yours are too hard you may be making some of these mistakes:

• Don’t add eggs, they help bind the meatballs but can also harden them. This is why I don’t use them in my recipe.
• Overmixing the meat and other ingredients. Mix everything just until combined.
• Not enough moisture in the meatballs. In my recipe, the onion and cilantro release water and add the necessary moisture.
• Not enough fat in the meat. This is why you need to use meat that has at least 20% fat.
• Don’t over bake the meatballs. This dries them out.

My Koftas Are Breaking

• Make sure there isn’t too much moisture in the ground meat. Drain all the water out by squeezing the meat.
• If the meat still seems too moist, add extra bread or whatever binding agent you’re using to absorb the excess moisture.
• When cooking the curry, don’t stir the meatballs too much.

What To Eat the Koftas With

There are so many ways to enjoy this curry. Many people love to eat it with rice, others with Naan and a side of daal. Matar {pea} Pulao and jeera rice are amongst the most popular choices, but here are some of my favorite pairings:

basmati-rice

chicken pulao

dhaba style maash daal

hyderabadi khatti daal

Storage and Reheating

I usually make a large batch of the meatballs and freeze them in an airtight container after baking them. I then defrost them in the fridge overnight and add them to the prepared curry as needed. This saves time during a busy weekday and is also a great way to prep ahead of time for when you're planning on hosting guests.

Hope you like this recipe! Remember to tag and share your pictures on social media and rate and comment below! Happy Cooking!