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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
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: bengali, Indian
Ingredients Method

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

Method
 

Chicken Kofta (Meatballs):
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients under "Chicken Kofta (Meatballs)" except the bread, milk, breadcrumbs, and oil.
  2. 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.
  3. Combine everything well, adding more breadcrumbs if necessary to help make the mixture easier to roll.
  4. Do a taste test: fry a pinch of the mixture and adjust seasonings if necesary.
  5. Using oiled hands, pick up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  6. 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:
  1. In a pot, heat the oil and sauté onions until golden. Add the whole spices: bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and whole black peppers.
  2. 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.
  3. Stir in tomato paste, coconut milk, and chicken stock (or water).
  4. 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.
  5. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Add basil leaves on top, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes for the meat to cook through.
  6. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with white rice.