lamb

Kashmiri Lamb Meatball

24 Jun 2019

It might seem like there are a lot of ingredients in this next recipe, but don’t let that scare you. Most of them will be going in at the same time infusing the spices and flavours together. Take a look at this Kashmiri Lamb Meatball recipe.

What You’ll Need

Meatballs

  • 500g Lamb Mince
  • 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds (finely ground in a pestle and mortar)
  • 6 Green Cardamom Pods (seeds removed and finely crushed)
  • 3 Black Cardamom Pods (seeds removed and finely crushed)
  • 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
  • ½ tsp Ground Ginger
  • ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder or Hot (unsmoked) Paprika
  • 1 Medium free-range Egg (Beaten)
  • 10 Pitted Prunes

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick (broken in half)
  • 2 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 3 Green Cardamom Pods
  • ¼ tsp Ground Asafoetida
  • ¾ tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder or Hot (unsmoked) Paprika
  • 2 tbsp Fennel Seeds (finely ground in a pestle and mortar)
  • 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
  • ½ tsp Ground Ginger
  • ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp Tamarind Paste or Lime juice to taste
  • Plain Yoghurt, Fresh Coriander and Basmati rice to serve

Method

  1. For the meatballs, mix the ground spices, mince and beaten egg in a bowl. Season, then shape into 12 equal balls. Flatten each in your palm and press a prune into the middle, wrapping the mince mixture around to seal the prune inside.
  2. For the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the whole spices. Once they start to pop, turn off the heat and allow the oil to cool a little. Stir in the asafoetida, then add the Kashmiri chilli powder/paprika and cook, stirring, for 5-10 seconds.
  3. Turn the heat back up to medium. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until brown all over (about 5 minutes). Add the remaining ground spices, fry until fragrant, then pour over 500ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the lid and check the sauce – it should have thickened slightly, with a red slick of oil running through it. Give it another 10-15 minutes without the lid if it seems too thin. Add the tamarind paste/lime juice to taste, then serve drizzled with plain yoghurt, fresh coriander and plain basmati rice.