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.

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!