Fish kofta curry is fish balls in a thick gravy that can be served as a lunch or dinner main course. Serve it with a green salad or vegetarian side dish. Do not let the long list of ingredients or instructions fool you. Fish kofta curry is worth every minute you spend making it.
Ingredients
- For the Kofta:
- 2 (400 grams) cans of tuna (in brine or oil)
- 1 medium-sized onion chopped very fine
- 1/2 cup very finely chopped coriander
- 2 teaspoons very finely chopped mint leaves
- 2 green chilies (chopped very fine, optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon amchur powder (raw mango powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup sooji/semolina
- Vegetable/sunflower/canola cooking oil to pan fry the koftas
- For the Gravy:
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium-sized onion (cut into quarters)
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes (cut into quarters)
- 2 green chilies
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- Dash salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves (chopped, to garnish)
Steps to Make It
To Make the Koftas
- Put the tuna chunks in a large, deep bowl and mash till the chunks are broken completely.
- Add the rest of the ingredients—except the semolina and the vegetable/sunflower/canola cooking oil. Mix well with a spoon or your hands until all the ingredients are perfectly blended. Spread half the sooji in a plate—we will dip the koftas in it to coat them. This gives the koftas a lovely, golden, slightly crispy outside.
- Form the fish mixture into 3″ diameter balls/sausage shapes and roll each kofta in the semolina so that it is lightly coated on all sides.
- While you are doing this, heat enough cooking oil in a shallow frying pan, to pan/shallow fry a few koftas at a time. We will add more oil later as this oil gets used up. Only add as much as is needed for now.
- Pan fry a few koftas at a time taking care not to crowd them in the pan. Watch carefully and turn as each side gets golden.
- The koftas are done when they are crispy and golden on both sides. Keep aside on paper towels for later.
To Make the Gravy
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil in a deep pan (on medium heat) and when hot, add the onions. Fry till slightly golden. Turn off the heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the pan and put them in a food processor. Grind the onions, tomatoes, green chilies into a smooth paste. Try not to add water while grinding, if possible.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same pan (on medium heat) and add the paste you just made to it when it is hot. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic pastes, all the dry spices including the garam masala mix and fry until the oil begins to separate from the masala (onion-tomato-spice mix).
- Now add 2 cups of warm water to this masala and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Simmer and cook till the gravy is thickened/ reduced to about 3/4 of the original quantity (when you added the water).
- Now add the koftas gently to the gravy. Cook for 1 minute, to heat the koftas through. Stir very carefully to avoid breaking them.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and a vegetable side dish.
- Enjoy!
