Rista (Meatballs in Red Gravy)

Submitted by roja khan

"Kashmir is not only a heavenly place to visit, it also have lot of culinary delights to offer. Kashmiri cuisine is rich in taste and aroma. Non-veg lovers will never be disappointed from Kashmiri menu. Rista (Meat-balls in red gravy) is delicious culinary delight with a ladeful gravy to be enjoyed with naan and cumin rice."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 45mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 1 kg boneless mutton, from the leg of lamb
• 1 cup meat fat
• 1 cup moval extract (cockscomb)
• 1 teaspoon saffron, soaked in a cup water
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 4 pieces cardamom (brown)
• 3 teaspoons fennel powder
• 2 -3 bay leaves
• 3 pieces cloves
• 2 pieces cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida powder, liquid
• 1 cup mustard oil or 1 cup oil
• salt

directions

1. Pound boneless meat on a smooth stone with a wooden mallet and add the meat fat while pounding. Make sure the pulp is mixed well to make the round balls. Add brown cardamom powder, a little salt and 1 tsp ginger powder. After mixing well make round balls about 3 inches diameter.
2. Heat oil in a large vessel add salt, asafoetida and a glass of water and red chili powder. Keep on stirring until it leaves the red colour. Add about 8 glasses of water and the rest of the spices and bring to a boil.
3. While the gravy is boiling add meat balls slowly and gently boil for an hour. Add the moval extract and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve with boiled rice.
5. Note: Moval is a dried flower available only in Kashmir. Generally it is used for coloring dishes. To prepare moval extract- soak moval in a cup of water for about an hour, drain and store. As an alternative we may use saffron extract. Soak 1 tsp saffron in a cup of water and add to the dish.