Kofta Korma - Swedish meatballs with Indian taste

This is my favorite recipies for meat balls. They're cooked in a rich tomato sauce with influences from India. Whenever I use tinned tomatos, I use whole tomates in juice. They taste a lot better than the pulp or strained variants. If pulp is required, I usually use a pair of scissors to cut the tomatoes in the tin, not losing any tomato juice.

Meat balls

  • 500 g. ground beef
  • 2 tbsp. neutral oil
  • 1 large onion, very finely chopped or grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped or grated
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp. garam masala
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2.5 tbsp. wheat flour
  • 1 fistful parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste

Sauce

  • 3 large bay leaves
  • 2 sticks whole cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. black cumin, coarsly ground
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp. dried and ground chillies
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 tins (2*400 g.) whole tomatoes in juice
  • 1.5 dl. heavy cream
  • salt to taste
  • 1 dl neutral oil.
  • Parsley for garnish

Directions

  1. Fry the onions and the garlic in oil at medium heat until browned and very soft.
  2. Mix with the spices, salt, flour and parsley.
  3. Add the ground beef and stir with a fork or work with your fingers to get a smooth batter.
  4. Roll to meat balls with an inch in diameter. Soaking your hands in cold water or a drop of oil prevents the meat from sticking.
  5. Heat the oil in a heavy pan.
  6. Add the bay leaves, the cinnamon, the black cumin and the cumin and let it fry at medium heat for a minute.
  7. Add the turmeric and let fry for another 30 seconds.
  8. Add the tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil.
  9. Turn the heat down to low.
  10. Carefully add the meatballs.
  11. Cook for 40 minutes.
  12. If you like you can skim some excess oil from the pan, but it isn't neccessary.
  13. Add the cream and cook for another 10 minutes.
  14. Add parsley for garnish.
  15. Serve with basmati rice and a buttered naan bread.