Skip to main content

Northern Indian Lamb Meatballs

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

2 small garlic cloves
1 piece (1 inch) peeled fresh ginger, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 can (8 ounces) plain tomato sauce
1 dried bay leaf
Coarse salt
12 ounces ground lamb
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg
6 prunes, quartered
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Pickled vegetables, for serving
Indian flatbread, for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Process the garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a food processor until a chunky paste forms; set aside.

    Step 2

    Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set aside one-quarter of the onion in a large bowl.

    Step 3

    Add 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1/2 cup water, the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and 2 tablespoons coriander to the onion in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add the tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups water, and the bay leaf. Season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer.

    Step 4

    Mix the reserved onion, lamb, bread crumbs, cilantro, egg, 1 teaspoon each garlic paste and salt, and remaining teaspoon coriander and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Divide into 24 pieces; roll into balls. Stuff each meatball with a prune quarter; roll to enclose.

    Step 5

    Add the meatballs to the simmering sauce (add water if the meatballs are not covered by the sauce). Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir in the garam masala.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.
Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
A garlicky pistachio topping takes this sunny summer pasta from good to great.