Recipe: Nargisi koftay
This Eid, indulge in this recipe for hearty, meaty koftay
PHOTO: AMNA JAVED
Ingredients
For the koftay:
• Eggs (boiled) 8
• Beef or mutton mince (half boiled and half uncooked) 1 kg
• Small onions (finely chopped and browned) 2
• Khashkhash 2 tbsp
• White cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Almonds (roasted) 6
• Whole black peppers 8
• Salt to taste
• Baked chickpeas 2 tbsp
• Black cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Small cardamoms 8
• Red pepper powder 1 tsp
For the gravy:
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Yogurt 1/2 cup
• Onions (finely chopped) 3
• Ghee/Oil 1 cup
• Coriander seeds powder 2 tbsp
• Small cardamoms 4
• Ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
• Red pepper powder 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
Method
For the koftay:
• Begin by combining the boiled and un-boiled minced meat together in a large bowl. Meanwhile, boil eggs in a pot.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the meat and mix them all in a food processor.
• Place the mixture on a tray and add one beaten egg to it. Mix it well to form dough.
• Once the meat is ready, take each boiled egg and cover it with the mince on all sides. Repeat the process for all of the eggs.
• Heat oil in a large pan and fry the koftay until they become golden-brown in colour.
For the gravy:
• Heat some oil in another pan and fry onions in it until they become golden-brown. Allow the onions to cool on a plate once they have been fried.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in yogurt to form a curry paste. Cook the mixture for about five minutes, adding the fried onions to it.
• One by one, add the koftay prepared earlier along with a cup of water and cook for another five to seven minutes.
• Add another cup of water and cover the bowl. Allow the koftay to simmer over low flame for about five minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm. Your dish is now ready!
How to make the perfect koftay
Getting the meat to stick in a ball can be tricky. They could either be too soft, collapsing into the gravy or too hard to be eaten. The consistency has to be just right. The following tips can help you:
1. Make sure that the meat is minced finely, even if you have to do it more than once.
2. The meat should also be completely fat free as fat doesn’t allow meatballs to link.
3. Avoid adding water to the meat.
4. When adding chopped onions, make sure they are water free too. Once finely chopped, rinse the onions and then press them slightly in the bowl before adding it to the mixture.
SOURCE: THECHEFINME.COM
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, September 27th, 2015.
For the koftay:
• Eggs (boiled) 8
• Beef or mutton mince (half boiled and half uncooked) 1 kg
• Small onions (finely chopped and browned) 2
• Khashkhash 2 tbsp
• White cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Almonds (roasted) 6
• Whole black peppers 8
• Salt to taste
• Baked chickpeas 2 tbsp
• Black cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Small cardamoms 8
• Red pepper powder 1 tsp
For the gravy:
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Yogurt 1/2 cup
• Onions (finely chopped) 3
• Ghee/Oil 1 cup
• Coriander seeds powder 2 tbsp
• Small cardamoms 4
• Ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
• Red pepper powder 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
Method
For the koftay:
• Begin by combining the boiled and un-boiled minced meat together in a large bowl. Meanwhile, boil eggs in a pot.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the meat and mix them all in a food processor.
• Place the mixture on a tray and add one beaten egg to it. Mix it well to form dough.
• Once the meat is ready, take each boiled egg and cover it with the mince on all sides. Repeat the process for all of the eggs.
• Heat oil in a large pan and fry the koftay until they become golden-brown in colour.
For the gravy:
• Heat some oil in another pan and fry onions in it until they become golden-brown. Allow the onions to cool on a plate once they have been fried.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in yogurt to form a curry paste. Cook the mixture for about five minutes, adding the fried onions to it.
• One by one, add the koftay prepared earlier along with a cup of water and cook for another five to seven minutes.
• Add another cup of water and cover the bowl. Allow the koftay to simmer over low flame for about five minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm. Your dish is now ready!
How to make the perfect koftay
Getting the meat to stick in a ball can be tricky. They could either be too soft, collapsing into the gravy or too hard to be eaten. The consistency has to be just right. The following tips can help you:
1. Make sure that the meat is minced finely, even if you have to do it more than once.
2. The meat should also be completely fat free as fat doesn’t allow meatballs to link.
3. Avoid adding water to the meat.
4. When adding chopped onions, make sure they are water free too. Once finely chopped, rinse the onions and then press them slightly in the bowl before adding it to the mixture.
SOURCE: THECHEFINME.COM
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, September 27th, 2015.