Lamb or Pork Koftas - India

These are meatballs....Indian style! From Classic International Recipes. You may sub garam masala for the spices cinnamon through mace. Serve with Chapati (Indian Flat Bread) 482651.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  egg, beaten
• 3⁄4 cup  soft breadcrumbs
• 2  tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see recipe note regarding garam masala)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom (see recipe note regarding garam masala)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin (see recipe note regarding garam masala)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  ground red pepper (see recipe note regarding garam masala)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves (see recipe note regarding garam masala)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground mace (see recipe note regarding garam masala)
• 1  lb ground lamb or 1  lb ground pork
• 4  hard-boiled eggs
• 2  tablespoons  usli ghee or 2  tablespoons  cooking oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  teaspoons gingerroot, grated
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (4 ounce) can green chili peppers, rinsed, seeded, and chopped
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1 (8 ounce) carton plain yogurt
• 1  tablespoon parsley, snipped
•  hot cooked rice or   chapati

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl combine beaten egg, bread crumbs, 2 tbsp yogurt, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, red pepper, cloves, and mace. (Or use 1 1/4 tsp Garam Masala). Add ground lamb or ground pork; mix well.
2. Shape 1/4 of the meat mixture around each hard-cooked egg, completely enclosing the egg.
3. In a large skillet brown the meatballs in hot Usli Ghee or cooking oil, carefully turning to brown on all sides. Remove from the skillet.
4. In the same skillet cook the onion, garlic and gingerroot in hot Usli Ghee or cooking oil till the onion is tender but not brown. Drain off the fat. Stir in the tomato sauce, chili peppers, bay leaf, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add meatballs to the tomato sauce mixture. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning meatballs every 10 minutes and spooning the sauce over them. Remove meatballs. Skim the fat from the sauce.
6. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot sauce to the yogurt. Return to the skillet. Heat through, but do not boil. Remove the bay leaf.
7. Transfer the sauce to a heated serving platter. Cut the meatballs in half crosswise. Place the meatballs, yolk side up, atop the tomato sauce mixture. Sprinkle parsley over the top.
8. Serve with hot cooked rice or Chapati.