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Chicken Kofta Coconut Curry

South Asian-spiced chicken meatballs in a coconut curry
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Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine bengali, Indian
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Chicken Kofta (Meatballs):

  • 2 lbs ground chicken (thighs preferred)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • 2 green chilies, minced (adjust to preference)
  • 1 tbsp mayo
  • 1 egg
  • 1 slice bread
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • oil as needed for frying meatballs

Curry:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced onions
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 8 whole black peppers
  • 1/4 cup onion paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz. can)
  • 1 cup chicken stock or water
  • 1 stalk lemongrass 
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves loosely packed
  • cilantro for garnish

Instructions
 

Chicken Kofta (Meatballs):

  • In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients under "Chicken Kofta (Meatballs)" except the bread, milk, breadcrumbs, and oil.
  • In a separate bowl, soak the bread in the milk. You can add a bit more milk if necessary to make the bread soggy. Then tear up the milk-soaked bread into tiny pieces and add to the mixture.
  • Combine everything well, adding more breadcrumbs if necessary to help make the mixture easier to roll.
  • Do a taste test: fry a pinch of the mixture and adjust seasonings if necesary.
  • Using oiled hands, pick up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  • Either shallow fry or deep fry the meatballs until they're browned all around. If shallow frying, move the balls around the frying pan to brown evenly. Set aside.

Curry:

  • In a pot, heat the oil and sauté onions until golden. Add the whole spices: bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and whole black peppers.
  • Add onion paste, ginger paste, and garlic paste, along with the powder spices: turmeric, coriander, cumin, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the oil starts to separate from the mixture. You can add a splash of water to prevent this curry paste from burning.
  • Stir in tomato paste, coconut milk, and chicken stock (or water).
  • Dscard the outer brittle layer of the lemongrass. Cut the inner layers into long sticks and bruise them with a knife. Add to the sauce.
  • Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Add basil leaves on top, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes for the meat to cook through.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with white rice.
Keyword chicken, curry, meatballs