Achari Mutton Meatballs

Ingredients

    For the Meatballs:

    250 gms minced mutton (keema)

    1 tsp ginger garlic paste

    ½ tsp coriander pwd

    ½ tsp red chilli pwd

    ¼ tsp turmeric pwd

    ¼ tsp gram masala pwd

    1 green chilli chopped

    2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

    3-4 tbsp bread crumbs

    1 egg

    Salt to tase

    Oil to fry

For the Achari Gravy:

    1 tsp mustard seeds (sarson)

    1 tsp onion seeds (kalaunji)

    1 tsp fenel seeds (saunf)

    ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

    ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

    ½ tsp red chilli pwd

    4-5 cloves (laung)

    2 medium onions, chopped

    2 medium tomatoes, chopped

    1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

    ½ tsp turmeric pwd

    1 tsp deggi mirch pwd

    1 tsp coriander pwd

    2 tbsp mustard oil and 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

    1 tbsp lemon juice

    1 and ½ cup water

    Salt to taste

Instructions

The Meatballs:

1.Mix all the ingredients except oil, egg and breadcrumbs with the minced mutton. Then add egg and bread crumbs and mix well.

2.Divide this dough into 12 parts and make small koftas. Heat enough oil to deep fry (you may choose to shallow fry), reduce the heat to low and drop the koftas into the oil and fry until golden brown on low flame, stirring from time to time. Strain on a kitchen tissue and keep aside.

The Achari Gravy:

1.Dry roast mustard, onion, fennel, cumin, fenugreek seeds, red chilli and cloves together until fragrant and slightly browned. Allow to cool a little and then make it into a coarse powder in an electric grinder or using a mortar and pestle.

2.Heat the mustard oil with the ghee in a thick bottom skillet, add the chopped onion and fry till golden brown.

    

3.Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds on a medium heat, then add turmeric pwd, deggi mirch pwd, coriander pwd and fry for a minute on low flame. Finally add the chopped tomatoes, dress with salt and fry until the oil starts to separate from the spices.

    

4.Add the dry roasted spice pwd and fry for approx minute and then add 1 and ½ cup of water. Cook on a high flame untill the gravy thickens, then add the lemon juice and drop in the meatballs and gently toss to incorporate the meatballs and the gravy together.

    

5.Turn off the heat and cover with a lid, allow resting for 10 minutes or longer. Reheat before serving if required and enjoy over a flatbread with some lettuce and onion rings.