Korma Khasa (Casseroled Meatballs With Spring Veg)
casseroles, indian, lamb, main dish, vegetables
1 1/2 lb lamb leg; bone - Free
4 oz clarified butter
4 oz spinach
4 oz beetroot
4 oz carrots
4 oz white cabbage
3/4 inch cinnamon; splintered
1 red chilli
1 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch asafoetida
1 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 pinch saffron strands; steeped in
4 tablespoon boiling water
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/2 lb minced meat
2 onions
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg white
2 tablespoon ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon parched ground mustard seed
1/4 teaspoon mace
4 oz lime juice or vinegar
4 oz sugar
10 almonds*
2 teaspoon black cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
----GARNISH----
1 chopped coriander or parsley
NB * Almonds should be blanched, slivered and fried in butter.
Parch roast pound, chop etc all aromatics. Cut the lamb leg into small pieces the size of almonds and fry in a heavy pan with half the butter, stirring well, until dark brown. Moisten with a little water and cook until tender. Strain liquor and reserve. Heat 1/4 of the remaining butter (1/2 oz in original quantities) add the sliced red chilli (seeded if you want it milder) and the paprika, and stir over low heat until butter is a rich red colour. Add half the cinnamon (which you have splintered and broken fine) raise heat high and put in the meat. Cover the pan, remove from the heat and give it good shake or so. Then put in a gentle oven or place live charcoal on top and cook for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile make meatballs (kofta) by combining the minced meat, grated onions, black pepper and salt, white of egg, and mustard and shape into marble sized kofta. Fry them in the remaining butter and reserve. Beat up the sugar and lime juice (or vinegar) with the cornflour and aromatize with fenugreek ground with asafoetida (or the equivalent of ready ground spices). When smooth, put in half the kofta and simmer to reduce the chasni (or syrup) to a thick glaze. Simmer the remaining half meatballs 15-20 minutes in the reserved meat liquor, aromatising with the black cumin. Meanwhile, chop spinach and cabbage (or other greens), sliver beetroot, thinly slice carrot, season lightly and simmer in 2 tbs of water until tender. Take the slmond sized cooked lamb and combine with the fried slivered almonds, ground coriander, ground mace and the remaining (splintered thoroughly) cinnamon. Arrange in a heavy pan. Add the cooked vegetables and on top, arrange the chasni kofta (sweet and sour glazed) on one side, and the meat sauce kofta on the other. Sprinkle with saffron water. Cover and give it a dum in a gentle oven for 15 minutes, and then serve with a light sprinkling of finely chopped coriander leaves or parsley.
[IMH notes. Although it wouldn't be authentic, you could substitute beef for lamb, but the cooking time would be longer, of course.]
: Recipe Dharamjit Singh "Indian Cookery" : MMed IMH c/o Georges' Home BBS 2:323/4.4
From: Ian Hoare Date: 01 Mar 97 National Cooking Echo Ä
Yield: 6 servings