Meatballs in Coconut Milk Curry (Indian-style)

This is one of my grandmother's special recipes. During her good old days, this dish was made for special occasions. It used to be considered a tedious preparation since ground meat was not readily available those days and they had to buy the meat and mince it before making this dish. I absolutely love this preparation where the meat and potatoes pair beautifully with the thick, creamy coconut milk gravy. Yummy !!

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb - Lean ground Turkey or Lean ground Beef
2 C - Onion (finely minced)
2 " - Ginger
10 cloves - Garlic
4 -Green chilly
1C - Coconut milk or Fat-free milk powder mixed in 1C water
1/2 Tsp - Turmeric powder
2 Tbsp - Coriander powder
2 Tsp - Red chilly powder
1/2 Tsp - Cumin powder/ Jeera powder
1/2 Tsp - Pepper powder
1/2 Tsp - Garam Masala
1 Tbsp - Vinegar
2 - Potato (Skinned and cubed)
1/2C - Green Peas
1 Tsp - Corn Flour
A few Curry leaves
Salt
3C -Water

For Tadka / Seasoning
1/2 Tsp - Mustard Seeds
2 - Shallots
2 - Dry Red Chilly
1/4 Tsp - Fenugreek powder
1/4 Tsp - Asafoetida
Curry leaves

Direction

• Add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chilly into a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely minced. Heat oil in a Saute pan and add the minced ingredients from above
• Roughly chop the onions, transfer them to the food processor and pulse until the onions are finely minced. Add the minced onions to the pan and saute until the onions are brown
• Mix Turmeric, Coriander, Red chilly powder, Cumin, Pepper and Garam Masala in a small bowl with vinegar and some water to it to make a paste. Add this paste to the pan and cook for 10- 15mins until the masala is well cooked.
• Turn off the heat and take 3/4 C of this masala-onion mixture and add it to the uncooked ground meat and mix well. Add salt. Make golf-ball sized balls out of this mixture and keep it aside.
• Turn the heat on and add 3 cups of water and the potatoes to the pan along with the left over masala-onion mixture. Let it come to a boil. Add the meatballs one by one into the boiling liquid. Simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender
• Mix the cornflour with some water and make a paste. Add this to the pan. Cook until the gravy thickens. Add coconut milk and green peas. Cook for 5 mins. Remove from heat
• In a separate pan heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilly, shallots and curry leaves. Saute until the shallots are browned. Add fenugreek powder and Asafoetida and remove from heat. Add this seasoning to the dish.

Notes and Tips:
* Its best to prepare this dish in a large saute pan to accommodate all meatballs. If you pile the meatballs one on top of the other, they will loose their shape and wont cook evenly and at the same time.
* Do not mix the curry with a spoon soon after adding the meatballs as they might break or loose their shape. The best way is to hold the saute pan on both sides firmly and swirl it around.
* I make this dish with fat-free milk powder to cut down the calories except while I am entertaining friends.
* For the best flavour, you should saute the onions and masala for a long time.