Zareen's Kofta Saalan (Spicy Meatball Curry)

 Kofta Saalan (Spicy Meatball Curry)
Succulent, spicy meatballs in a rich, flavorful sauce, made with ground beef, chicken, or lamb. Great with plain rice, matar pulao, roti, or naan.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 pounds 85-percent lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons ginger paste
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons cayenne red chili powder
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 white bread slices
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 0.3 cups oil
• 0.3 cups yogurt
• 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoons ginger paste
• 1 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 teaspoons cayenne red chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 3 cups water for sauce

STEPS
1. Combine meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, add 1 pounds 85-percent lean ground beef, 2 teaspoons ginger paste, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoons cayenne red chili powder, and 1 teaspoons garam masala — everything except the bread.
2. Soften the bread: Soak 2 white bread slices in a bowl of water to soften. Squeeze the water out by hand and crumble the bread onto the meatball ingredients.
3. Mix the meatballs: Mix all the meatball ingredients thoroughly together by hand or in a food processor.
4. Shape the meatballs: Take small portions of the seasoned meat (1.5 to 2 ounces) and shape into 2-inch balls, about the size of golf balls. Set aside. Note: wetting your hands or greasing them with oil can make the shaping process easier.
5. Fry the onion: In a Dutch oven, fry 1 medium onion, thinly sliced in 0.3 cups oil over medium heat until golden brown.
6. Remove onion: Take out the fried onion and leave the oil in the Dutch oven for later use.
7. Blend the sauce base: In a blender, combine 0.3 cups yogurt, 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoons ginger paste, 1 teaspoons garlic paste, 1 teaspoons cayenne red chili powder, 0.5 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoons garam masala, and the fried onions (not the oil). Blend until smooth, adding up to 3 tablespoons of water if needed to form a smooth paste.
8. Cook the bhunna (masala base): In the same Dutch oven used to fry the onion, using the same oil, add the blended mixture and cook on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until the oil separates.
9. Add water and boil: Add 3 cups water for sauce, increase the heat, and bring to a boil.
10. Add the meatballs: Once the sauce is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and carefully slide in the meatballs with the help of a spoon.
11. Cover and cook: Cover and cook on medium-low until the meatballs are cooked through. Stir gently as needed, taking care not to break the meatballs.
12. Simmer to finish: Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook on low until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

NOTES
Pro tip: After mixing the meat, do a taste test by pan-frying a mini meatball. Adjust the spices to your taste before shaping the rest of the meatballs.

Source: Zareen's Pakistani Kitchen, p. 122. Makes 4 to 5 servings.