Chicken kofta curry

Ingredients

• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 cm x 2 cm piece ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 slices of white bread, plus extra if required
• ½ small bunch coriander, plus extra to serve
• 700 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into chunks
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 egg

For the gravy

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 whole cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 cup (250 ml) passata
• 3 cups (750 ml) water
• 150 ml thick yoghurt
• 1 tsp garam masala

Chilling/freezing time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Place the onions, garlic and ginger in a food processor and process to a coarse paste. Remove half from the food processor to a small bowl, then add the bread, coriander roots and process to a paste. If too wet, add a little more bread. Add the chicken, remaining fresh coriander, turmeric, baking soda and egg and process to a coarse paste. With damp hands, mould spoonfuls of the paste into meatballs about 2-3 cm in diameter and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. To make the gravy, heat the vegetable oil in a large, lidded frying pan over medium heat. Add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick, followed by the reserved onion, garlic and ginger paste.
3. Fry the paste for about 5 minutes, then add the remaining spices for the gravy. Stir for 1 minute, then add the passata and cook for a further minute. Add a cup or so of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir through the yoghurt and garam masala.
4. Add the chicken meatballs to the pan and simmer without stirring for 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. Scatter with coriander leaves to serve.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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