In this recipe, I'm taking the traditional Chicken Kofta curry and making it just that extra bit fancier, by adding an egg. Not boiled to serve on the side, but I'm putting the egg inside the kofta.
Doesn't sound very fancy, but believe me, whenever I serve this everyone thinks the fancy game has been taken up a level!
It doesn't actually take significantly longer either. Very often kofta curries have eggs boiled and then halved and served alongside the curry, so here all we're doing is boiling the eggs first and then when we're shaping the meatballs, we're just forming them around the egg. It really isn't too hard or long, but it sure looks good!
The recipe is actually quite similar to my Traditional and Authentic Chicken Kofta curry with a few minor changes. You can substitute the chicken for lamb, mutton or beef - just up the cooking time to about an hour and add an extra 2 glasses of water.
Traditionally, koftas aren't garnished with coriander. I've no clue why, this is what I have heard and read from a number of authentic sources therefore I haven't used coriander here. Instead, I've garnished my nargisi koftas with sliced green capsicum. Feel free to use coriander though, or perhaps a drizzle of cream, sliced green chillis - whatever catches your fancy!
Without further delay, here's the recipe for Nargisi Kofta!
Try this delicious and impressive dish at your next dawat or event! I guarantee you, you will not be disappointed 😉
Enjoy, with love x
📋 Recipe
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1.65 lb (750 g) minced chicken
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1.5 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 small stick cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste
- 0.5 cups (65 g) gram flour
- 8 eggs
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
For the gravy
- 1 large onion chopped roughly
- 12 cloves (12 cloves) garlic minced
- 0.25 cups (65 ml) oil or as needed
- 0.5 cups (130 g) full fat yogurt
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
Instructions
- First, you need your eggs prepped. Put 8 eggs into a saucer and add water. Bring the water to a boil and then boil your eggs rapidly for 6 minutes.
- Take a dry non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds. Roast them on high heat till the cumin releases smoke. Set aside. Do the same with the coriander seeds, black cardamom and cinnamon.
- Grind all the whole spices into a powder.
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs (except the boiled eggs) in a bowl and mix with your hands till the spices are well distributed.
- To form the nargisi kofta, take a medium sized chunk of the meat and spread it over your palm. Take your egg, place it in the middle and then using both hands spread the mince around the egg. Try to make sure there are no cracks in the meat. You will find it helpful to oil your hands before handling the meatballs. I was able to make 8 meatballs with my mixture
- Once the meatballs are ready, heat a small amount of oil in a pan and add the koftas. Fry them very lightly, just until the outsides of the koftas are no longer pink and they begin to hold their shape. Our goal isn't to cook the koftas, but to just make them a bit more sturdy.
- On to the masala. Start by taking your onion and garlic and adding it to a pot or pan with oil in it. Sauté till dark brown.
- Transfer your onions and garlic to a processor and pulse till smooth. Return back to the cooking pan.
- Add your yogurt and all the spices to the onions and sauté everything, drying out some of the moisture from the onions and yogurt. You are aiming for a thick, dry mixture.
- At this point, you can add the water for the sauce. Add as much (or as little) as you like, thought I wouldn't recommend you add less than 3 cups. Remember, you can top it up again later. bring this water to a boil.
- Add the koftas to the pan. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and allow the koftas to cook for 25 minutes, checking every so often and turning the koftas here and there, so they have ample time to soak in the masala.
- Serve warm with rice or roti!
📩 Want me to email this recipe to you?
Enter your email & I'll send it right over.
Plus, you'll get bonus Pakistani food-goodness from Fatima Cooks, like new recipe alerts, exclusive email-only recipes + more!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from me. Your details are secure. Opt-out any time.
ak
Do you have a video for this recipe to follow along as well?
Mishal
So far half way into the recipe, and so far so good in regards to the lofts holding shape. Not watery or anything after following the exact instructions.
Mai
Aslam o alaikum Fatima baji
I wanted to ask that can I put gharam masala istead of whole masalas? If yes how much of gharam masala should I put?
Paul
Wonderful, Pakistani “Scotch Eggs”! Gonna have to try this.
Rakesh Joshi
Great recipe and innovative idea to simmer the koftas in gravy Capsicums will give a good flavour. Keep up the good work.
Fatima
Thank you!
Nick Thorpe
You’re saying it’s your idea to put the egg in the Kofte?
Really?
Fatima
At what point have I said I invented the Nargisi Kofta? 🤭🤔 just reread my post and couldn’t find that bit!
Tricia Isaac
@Fatima,
Lol. Brilliant recipe! Cooking as i type. Ignore above, there's always one lol!
Fatima
Thank you!