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    Home » Pakistani Recipes

    Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatball} Curry

    September 17, 2020 by untoldrecipesbynosheen Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    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!

    Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatball} Curry

    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?

    Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatball} Ingredients

    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.

    Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatballs} Dice Ingredients

    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.

    Meatball Prep

    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

    Pakistani Kofta {Meatball} Curry Ingredients

    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 curry Base

    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

    Finishing The Kofta Curry

    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.

    Finishing The Koftas

    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!

    Pakistani beef kofta {meatball} curry

    Pakistani beef kofta {Meatball} curry

    Nosheen Babar
    This Pakistani Beef Kofta {Meatball} Curry is an easy, healthier version of a traditional spicy and popular curry.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe
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    Prep Time 45 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
    Servings 8
    Calories 425 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Koftas (Meatballs)

    • 2 lbs ground beef {SEE NOTES}
    • 1 onion
    • 2 slices bread {SEE NOTES}
    • 1 tsp garlic
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 2 tsp red chili powder
    • 2 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp cumin powder
    • 2 tsp coriander powder
    • 2 green chillies
    • ½ cup cilantro

    Curry

    • ¼ cup cooking oil
    • 2 onions
    • 2 tsp garlic
    • 2 tsp ginger {SEE NOTES}
    • 4 roma tomatoes {SEE NOTES}
    • 1 cup yogurt {SEE NOTES}
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp red chili powder
    • 2 tsp coriander powder
    • ½ tsp turmeric powder
    • 2 green chilies
    • ¼ cup cilantro

    Instructions
     

    Koftas {Meatballs}

    • Preheat the oven to 400° F.
    • Put the onion, green chilies and cilantro in a food processor and grind to a paste.
    • Add in the bread and powdered spices and pulse till they mix in with the other ingredients.
    • Mix the ground beef and all of the above ingredients in a large bowl by hand just until combined {SEE NOTES}
    • Shape the mixture into 24 equal meatballs and place on baking tray {SEE NOTES}
    • Bake for 15 minutes {SEE NOTES}

    Curry

    • Heat the cooking oil.
    • Dice the onions and saute them till they are a dark medium brown.
    • Add the garlic paste and saute for 1 minute.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and fry for 10-15 minutes till they are soft and have released water.
    • Add the remaining spices and saute for a few minutes till the mixture has a paste like consistency.
    • Add the yogurt, a few tablespoons at a time and stir fry till all the water evaporates completely before adding more. By the end of the process you should have a creamy consistency to your curry.
    • Add 1 cup of water. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
    • Uncover and turn the flame on full to dry out all the water
    • Once the water evaporates, add the ginger and green chilies and saute for a few minutes
    • Add the prepared koftas along with 2 cups of water and simmer 15-20 minutes. 
    • Uncover and cook till about ½ cup of the water evaporates and the oil separates.
    • Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve.

    Notes

    Ground Beef - The beef must have 20% fat to help them bind together and in order for them to be succulent. Without this fat the meatballs will be hard and lack moisture.
    Bread - I use plain white bread as whole grain bread can make the koftas a bit lumpy due to its grainy texture {This is a great way to use up those end pieces from your loaf of bread}. I've never had to use more than 2 slices of bread {1 slice per pound of meat} but if for some reason your meat looks like it has too much moisture in it you can add a little bit of extra bread to absorb it.  
    Ginger in the curry- The ginger is added to the curry near the end as it gives a fresh pungent taste that pairs perfectly with the meatballs. If added at the beginning and cooked for a long period it loses its unique flavor.
    Roma Tomatoes - The curry needs to be very smooth and creamy. I like to use Roma tomatoes for most of my curries as they are amongst the best and most commonly used tomato for making sauces. They tend to melt easily during the cooking process and help make the perfect curry. A tip to speed things up is to puree the tomatoes first in a blender before adding them to your cooking pot. This way, you will have to saute less to make the smooth paste your curry needs.
    Yogurt - Adding the yogurt to the curry is perhaps the trickiest part. To start off with, it's best to have your yogurt at room temperature. Once it's time to add the yogurt to the curry, add in only 2-3 tablespoons at a time and stir it till the water in the yogurt evaporates and it heats up to the same temperature as the other ingredients in the pot. Keep adding it in at this rate till it is all incorporated and you have a smooth, creamy,  curry.
    Shaping The Koftas - The koftas need to be smooth without any cracks or else they will split and break during the cooking process. You can use a little bit of oil to help seal any cracks and smoothen them out.
    Baking The Koftas - Don't bake the koftas for more than 15 minutes. They will continue to cook in the curry later and overbaking them at this stage will dry them out and make them hard.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 22gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1089mgPotassium: 557mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 694IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword beef koftay, kofta curry, meatball curry, pakistani koftay
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Hi, I'm Nosheen! Welcome to my world of Authentic South Asian recipes and much
    more.

    I’ve loved to cook from a very early age and my cooking style incorporates authentic recipes that hail from my mother's and grandmother's kitchens as well as many that I’ve developed and created along the way. 

    More about me!

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