Northern Indian Lamb Meatballs Recipes

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH SPICED TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, mix together the onion, cream, egg yolks, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper and cayenne. Put the lamb in the bowl, and season it aggressively with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and parsley, and combine the mixture well. Shape the meat into balls that are a little larger than golf balls.
• Grease a baking pan with olive oil, and put the meatballs onto it, spaced evenly. Place beneath the broiler, and cook, turning once or twice, until the meatballs are well browned, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, then set meatballs aside. Turn oven to 400.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill, or whizz them quickly in a food processor. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat for a minute, then add olive oil, rosemary and red pepper and shake to combine. Cook for another minute, then add onion, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and bay leaf and sauté until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, orange juice and peel, along with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, until reduced by a third. Adjust seasoning.
• Pour the tomato sauce into a large baking dish that you can put on the table. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce, putting them about ½ inch from each other. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are cooked through.
• Top with crumbled feta and scattered mint.

LAMB MEATBALLS OVER TANDOORI NAAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Mix bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon mint, dried basil, and parsley together in a large bowl. Add ground lamb, egg, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper; mix until evenly distributed. Form ground lamb into 1-inch balls and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Flip meatballs and continue cooking until cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Remove meatballs from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pour tomato sauce into a saucepan over low heat; add capers, fresh basil, 1/4 teaspoon mint, salt, and pepper. Cook sauce, stirring occasionally, until heated through and flavors have blended, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place naan bread on a baking sheet. Spoon tomato sauce and meatballs on the naan; cover with Muenster cheese slices.
• Bake in the oven until cheese is melted, 5 to 10 minutes.

NORTHERN INDIAN LAMB MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Process garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a food processor until a chunky paste forms; set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set aside one quarter of onion in a large bowl.
• Add 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1/2 cup water, the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and 2 tablespoons coriander to onion in skillet. Cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups water, and the bay leaf. Season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer.
• Mix reserved onion, lamb, breadcrumbs, cilantro, egg, 1 teaspoon each garlic paste and salt, and remaining teaspoon coriander and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Divide into 24 pieces; roll into balls. Stuff each meatball with a prune quarter; roll to enclose.
• Add meatballs to simmering sauce (add water if meatballs are not covered by sauce). Cook until sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir in garam masala.