Lamb Kofta Curry and Naan
Dipna Anand's juicy spiced lamb koftas simmered in a rich, buttery masala and finished with boiled eggs. Serve with naan and fluffy rice. Comfort food at its best!
Ingredients
For the Kofta Balls
- 500g lamb mince
- 4 shallots or onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
For the curry
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 400g tomatoes (finely chopped or blended) 1 tsp bird’s eye green chilli paste
- 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 30g butter
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1⁄2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 litre water
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed 3⁄4 tsp garam masala
- 4-5 hard boiled eggs, halved or left whole
Naan (restaurant recipe)
- 300g Self Raising flour
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Dried Yeast
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 220-225ml Full Fat Milk
- 40g Yoghurt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Onion Seeds (Kalonji)-optional
- 4-5 tablespoons Chopped Coriander (optional) Water (to stick into clay oven if required)
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee (optional) for garnish
Naan (home recipe)
- 300g Plain Flour (plus a little extra for rolling out)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Dried Yeast
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 110ml full fat Milk (warm)
- 1 level teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Onion Seeds (kalonji)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter/Ghee for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (optional)
Method
Lamb Kofta Curry
- Prepare the koftas
- Place the lamb mince into a bowl and add the finely chopped shallots, fresh chopped coriander, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, salt and ginger–garlic paste.
- Mix gently using your hands, squeezing lightly so everything is combined without overworking the meat.
- Keep a small bowl of water next to you, moisten your hands, and shape the mixture into kofta balls about 4 cm in diameter.
- You should get around 18–20 koftas.
- Place them on a tray, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
- Prepare the eggs
- Hard boil the eggs, allow them to cool, peel them and either keep whole or cut in half.
- Set aside.
- Make the curry base
- Heat oil in a saucepan and add the cumin seeds
- Once the cumin is sizzling, add the finely chopped onion. Cook until the onions are deeply caramelised and brown.
- Add the green chilli paste and ginger–garlic paste and cook for about one minute.
- Add the tomatoes and butter, followed by the salt, red chilli and turmeric.
- Remove the pan from the heat and hand-blend the sauce until smooth.
- Return to the heat and cook until the masala splits and sizzles from the edges.
- Cook the koftas
- Add the water to the sauce and bring it up to a boil.
- Gently add the kofta balls into the gravy one at a time.
- Cook on a medium heat for 12–15 minutes until the koftas are fully cooked.
- Finish the curry
- Add fresh chopped coriander, dried fenugreek leaves and garam masala.
- Add the boiled eggs gently. Instead of stirring, shake the pan side to side to avoid breaking the eggs.
- Boil for a final 2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Switch off the heat and serve hot with naan bread and plain boiled rice.
Naan (restaurant)
- In a bowl start by whisking together the milk, yoghurt, yeast, baking powder, salt, sugar and onion seeds
- Then add the self raising flour slowly and begin kneading using your hands until a soft dough begins to form (adjust flower accordingly if the dough gets too sticky or if it is too dry add more milk)
- Leave the naan bread dough to prove for an hour or so
- Break the naans evenly into 4 equal parts (approximately120g each), roll each into a ball with your hands and then start rolling out each of the naan breads to a diameter of about 20cm (add chopped coriander by pressing to the top of each naan if desired)
- Slap each individually into the walls of the clay oven using the cushion to lay the naan on before putting into the tandoor (repeat the process for all the naans)
- Cook each naan on 400oC for 1- 1 1⁄2 minutes
- Remove naans from the clay oven using the scraper skewer and hook
- Brush with butter/ghee
Naan (home)
- Start by mixing together the yeast and hot water, leave to one side for a few minutes
- In a separate bowl, mix together the plain flour, onion seeds, sugar, salt, vegetable oil and milk,followed by the yeast and warm water mixture
- Knead to a soft somewhat sticky dough (add a little more oil if too sticky)
- Leave the dough to prove for an hour or so covered with a slightly damp cloth
- Split the dough evenly into 5-6 balls (approximately 90-100g each), dip into a little flour and rollout to the desired size and shape (if you are adding chopped coriander, do so at this stage by
pressing it down onto the naan bread and start rolling out)
- Put the naan bread onto lightly greased oven trays and cook in the oven at 250oC for 2 1⁄2minutes only
- Remove from the oven, brush with butter/ghee and servePlease note:
If you do not want to cook the naan in the oven, put each naan bread (one at a time) on to a wire rack and cook over the gas flame turning 4/5 times to cook both sides evenly. A medium heat is required to cook using this method. You still get great results, soft and fluffy naan bread!
Ingredients
For the Kofta Balls
- 500g lamb mince
- 4 shallots or onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
For the curry
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 400g tomatoes (finely chopped or blended) 1 tsp bird’s eye green chilli paste
- 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 30g butter
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1⁄2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 litre water
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed 3⁄4 tsp garam masala
- 4-5 hard boiled eggs, halved or left whole
Naan (restaurant recipe)
- 300g Self Raising flour
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Dried Yeast
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 220-225ml Full Fat Milk
- 40g Yoghurt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Onion Seeds (Kalonji)-optional
- 4-5 tablespoons Chopped Coriander (optional) Water (to stick into clay oven if required)
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee (optional) for garnish
Naan (home recipe)
- 300g Plain Flour (plus a little extra for rolling out)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Dried Yeast
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 110ml full fat Milk (warm)
- 1 level teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Onion Seeds (kalonji)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter/Ghee for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (optional)
Method
Lamb Kofta Curry
- Prepare the koftas
- Place the lamb mince into a bowl and add the finely chopped shallots, fresh chopped coriander, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, salt and ginger–garlic paste.
- Mix gently using your hands, squeezing lightly so everything is combined without overworking the meat.
- Keep a small bowl of water next to you, moisten your hands, and shape the mixture into kofta balls about 4 cm in diameter.
- You should get around 18–20 koftas.
- Place them on a tray, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
- Prepare the eggs
- Hard boil the eggs, allow them to cool, peel them and either keep whole or cut in half.
- Set aside.
- Make the curry base
- Heat oil in a saucepan and add the cumin seeds
- Once the cumin is sizzling, add the finely chopped onion. Cook until the onions are deeply caramelised and brown.
- Add the green chilli paste and ginger–garlic paste and cook for about one minute.
- Add the tomatoes and butter, followed by the salt, red chilli and turmeric.
- Remove the pan from the heat and hand-blend the sauce until smooth.
- Return to the heat and cook until the masala splits and sizzles from the edges.
- Cook the koftas
- Add the water to the sauce and bring it up to a boil.
- Gently add the kofta balls into the gravy one at a time.
- Cook on a medium heat for 12–15 minutes until the koftas are fully cooked.
- Finish the curry
- Add fresh chopped coriander, dried fenugreek leaves and garam masala.
- Add the boiled eggs gently. Instead of stirring, shake the pan side to side to avoid breaking the eggs.
- Boil for a final 2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Switch off the heat and serve hot with naan bread and plain boiled rice.
Naan (restaurant)
- In a bowl start by whisking together the milk, yoghurt, yeast, baking powder, salt, sugar and onion seeds
- Then add the self raising flour slowly and begin kneading using your hands until a soft dough begins to form (adjust flower accordingly if the dough gets too sticky or if it is too dry add more milk)
- Leave the naan bread dough to prove for an hour or so
- Break the naans evenly into 4 equal parts (approximately120g each), roll each into a ball with your hands and then start rolling out each of the naan breads to a diameter of about 20cm (add chopped coriander by pressing to the top of each naan if desired)
- Slap each individually into the walls of the clay oven using the cushion to lay the naan on before putting into the tandoor (repeat the process for all the naans)
- Cook each naan on 400oC for 1- 1 1⁄2 minutes
- Remove naans from the clay oven using the scraper skewer and hook
- Brush with butter/ghee
Naan (home)
- Start by mixing together the yeast and hot water, leave to one side for a few minutes
- In a separate bowl, mix together the plain flour, onion seeds, sugar, salt, vegetable oil and milk,followed by the yeast and warm water mixture
- Knead to a soft somewhat sticky dough (add a little more oil if too sticky)
- Leave the dough to prove for an hour or so covered with a slightly damp cloth
- Split the dough evenly into 5-6 balls (approximately 90-100g each), dip into a little flour and rollout to the desired size and shape (if you are adding chopped coriander, do so at this stage by
pressing it down onto the naan bread and start rolling out)
- Put the naan bread onto lightly greased oven trays and cook in the oven at 250oC for 2 1⁄2minutes only
- Remove from the oven, brush with butter/ghee and servePlease note:
If you do not want to cook the naan in the oven, put each naan bread (one at a time) on to a wire rack and cook over the gas flame turning 4/5 times to cook both sides evenly. A medium heat is required to cook using this method. You still get great results, soft and fluffy naan bread!
