Soft Chicken Kofta Curry (Chicken Meatballs Curry)

In a large bowl, combine the chicken mince with chopped onion, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste, all the dry spices, roasted gram flour, lemon juice, salt, ghee, and fresh coriander.

Mix everything until combined. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.

Grease your hands with a little oil and shape the mixture into small lemon-sized balls.

Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the koftas in batches until lightly golden. Do not over-fry to keep them soft and juicy.

Set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.

In a large pan, heat oil. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Sauté until aromatic.

Add the ground onion and cook until golden and the moisture evaporates.

Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.

Stir in the ground tomatoes and cook for 4–5 minutes until the oil begins to separate.

Add Kashmiri chilli powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and salt. Mix well.

Lower the heat and add whisked curd and slit green chillies. Cook until the gravy thickens and starts releasing oil.

Gently place the fried koftas into the gravy and coat them with the masala.

Add hot water to adjust the consistency. Cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the koftas are fully cooked and have absorbed the flavours.

Finish with crushed kasuri methi and a sprinkle of fresh coriander. Mix gently.

Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, roti, butter naan, lachha paratha or tandoori roti.