NARGISI KOFTAS

Ingredients: Mix together
2 cups minced meat
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
salt to taste
1/4 tsp powdered black pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala
5-6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and shelled
a little flour to roll the eggs in


Gravy
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1.5 cups roughly chopped onions-boiled in very little water
1 cup oil
2 bay leaves
2 tsp black cumin seeds
6-7 green cardamoms-lightly roasted and powdered
6-7 cloves-lightly roasted and powdered
1 tsp broken cinnamon-lightly roasted and powdered
1 blade mace-lightly roasted and powdered
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 cup chopped tomatoes
a large pinch of kesar
1/2 tsp kewra
2 tbsp warm milk
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp cream

Method: Dissolve the kesar and kewra in milk.

For the koftas, divide the meat mixture into 5 or 6 portions, and shape each into a round pattie. Roll the eggs in the flour, dust off the excess flour, and place in the centre of each pattie. Bring the meat up around the egg, to form an even coating around it. Smooth the surface so that no creases remain. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

In a kadahi, heat some of the oil listed with the ingredients for the gravy. Fry the koftas in it, first over high heat; then lower the heat, so that they are cooked through. When they are evenly brown, remove from oil and set aside. Fry as many koftas as fit comfortably in the kadahi. Be careful not to break them.

For the gravy, grind the ginger, garlic and boiled onions to a fine paste and set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil in a saucepan and add the bay leaves and powdered spices. When the spices darken a little, add the onion mixture. Stir-fry brown and fat separates. Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, coriander powder and chilli powder, and stir-fry again till the fat separates.

Add about 2 cups water. Bring to boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, add half the chopped coriander leaves and the milk into which saffron etc. have been mixed.

To serve, cut the koftas lengthwise. Arrange on a serving dish and pour the hot gravy over them. Serve garnished with the cream and the rest of the chopped coriander leaves.