The simple, flavourful and aromatic palak mutton Keema kofta curry is my mom’s signature dish. This very recipe is indeed cooked by my mother herself in a stew style with very mild flavours. The spinach too is picked up from her kitchen garden and she in particular is highly emotional about her home grown vegetables. She even concluded that the dish tasted better not because of her cooking skill but only because of her organic baby spinach. On the contrary, I felt that since the meat balls are allowed to cook in the simmering gravy , the taste and texture of this dish is elevated to an altogether different dimension. The lightly sauteed onions imparts such a mild flavours to the meat ball as well as the gravy. One just needs to be a little extra careful with the koftas as it could disintegrate if not handled properly.

Ingredients

For the kofta

Mutton Keema : 800 gms

Onion : one large

Ginger paste : 1 tsp

Garlic paste : 1 tsp

Green chilies : 3 to 4

Garam masala powder : 1 tsp

Lemon juice

Mustard oil : 2 tsp

Coriander leaf

Salt : as per taste

For the gravy

Spinach : 800 gms washed and thinly sliced

Onion : 400 gms

Whole red chilli : 8 to 10

Jeera : 1 tsp

Coriander seed : 1 tsp

Black pepper corn : 20 to 25

Black cardamom : 2

Green cardamom : 5

Clove : 10

Dalchini : 3 small sized

Bay leaf : 3 to 4

Ginger paste : 1 tsp

Garlic paste : 1 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Oil 4 tsp

Step 1

Add chopped onion, green chilli, coriander leaves, Ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice, oil and salt into the raw Keema.

Step 2

Give them all a good mix.

Step 3

Apply oil in hand and make small round ball shaped koftas. Put it in the fridge for an hour so that the kofta becomes firm.

Step 4

Saute onion in hot oil for a minute.

Step 5

Add whole garam masala, red chilli, Ginger garlic paste, salt and stir it for a couple of minutes.

Step 6

Add approximately 3 cups of water and let it come to a boil.

Step 7

Now place the koftas one by one into the boiling mixture . Do not stir or mix the koftas as they could disintegrate. Let the gravy come to a boil.

Step 8

Now add the sliced palak.

Step 9

Cover the lid and let it cook on a high flame for ten minutes and then lower the flame and cook it until the kofta becomes firm.

Step 10

Check it out after fifteen to twenty minutes to see if the onions have become soft and meat meatballs are done and gravy has reached the desired consistency.

Step 11

Set aside in a serving dish and enjoy with rice or roti. 

Tip

One may increase the quantity of spinach as per your taste and requirements.