Nargisi Kofta

Minced meat ( chicken) 500 gm

White oil for deep fry200 ml

Hard boiled eggs4-5 nos

fried onion1 cup

Ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp.

Chopped mint or pudina1/4th cup

Red chili powder1 tbsp. or as per taste

Finely chopped green chili1 tbsp.

Cinnamon powder½ tbsp.

Nutmeg powder¼ tbsp.

Mace/ javetri powder¼ tbsp.

Cumin powder½ tbsp.

Gram masala or kabab masala¾ tbsp.

Beaten eggs3-4

Powder of roasted peanuts, or bread crumbs

Salt to taste

Beaten egg white

White oil4 tbsp.

Ginger-garlic paste4 tbsp.

Chopped Onion4 tbsp.

Almond4-5 no's

Chopped tomatoes1 no

Yoghurt4 tbsp.

Cilantroto garnish

Salt1 tbsp.

Red chili powder1 tbsp.

Gram Masala powder1 tbsp.

1. Now mix the minced meat with bereshta, ginger-garlic paste, pudina, green chili, chili powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg-mace powder, garam masala powder, and cumin powder, salt.

2. Add roasted peanut powder and again mix well with the above mixture.

3. Now take each egg and cover with good amount of keema/ mince to create a shell around it. Coat in beaten egg and roll it over bread crumb. Repeat the process of coating it again in beaten egg and give another coat of bread crumb. This double coating helps to make it crispy. Now, keep the coated eggs in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours which helps the mince coating bind well.

4. Now, deep fry on medium- low flame until golden brown and done.

5. Let the Kofta cool down and then cut in halves lengthwise with a very sharp knife or using a thread. For the gravy,

6. Heat oil in a deep pan/pot. Add ginger and garlic. Fry till onions turn golden brown.

7. Add all spices, salt, and almonds mix well then add chopped tomatoes and cook it for 2 minutes. Add water and cook it for further 10 minutes on simmer. Add yoghurt and let it heat through. Add garam masala and stir. Remember to make the gravy thick. Transfer the hot gravy to the serving dish. Place the koftas carefully into the hot gravy with the yolk side up. Garnish with chopped cilantro. You can serve the Koftas as a snack or use gravy to use it as the main dish serving with Naan.

Tips:

1. Do not wash the minced meat too much. If keema is washed too much, you will need more binding agent so that it does not fall apart while frying. But more you add binding agents like bread, flour, besan (gram flour), corn flour; it loses softness.

2. Coat the eggs with good amount of mince because after adding the kofta to the oil, the meat will shrink down. If there is not enough mince around the eggs, the minced meat will fall apart.

3. Use egg whites for coating which also keeps the frying oil clean. If you use egg yolks, frying oil will get dark.

4. If you have left over and unused minced meat preparations like Keema Matar, then you can use the same also to make Nargisi Kofta. Just blend the keema Matar with a blender and use it. I have done that many times, and it is tastier.