Mutton kofta is made with balls of minced mutton mixed with a variety of spices, onion, ginger, garlic, chana dal-poppy seeds powder and more. These are then fried to perfection and cooked in a spicy gravy consisting of onions, ginger garlic paste, yogurt as well. The steps to make mutton kofta at home are elaborate but easy to follow. My easy recipe will guide you through the process.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Mutton kofta is very popular dish among Indians.
- Serve it with roti, plain paratha, lachha paratha, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice.
- Mutton kofta tastes spicy, slightly creamy and earthy.
- Other similar recipes are chicken kofta curry, egg kofta curry, paneer kofta curry, vegetable kofta curry, lauki kofta curry, and soyabean kofta curry.
The Ingredients:
To make the kofta balls:
- 750 grams mutton (keema)
- 10 cloves garlic (peeled, whole)
- 1 piece ginger (2-inch size, roughly sliced)
- 3 pieces green chilies (whole)
- ½ piece onion (medium size, roughly sliced)
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 piece onion (medium-sized, finely chopped)
- Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
- ½ cup chana dal (roasted)
- 1.5 tsp poppy seeds (khas khas)
To fry the kofta:
- Cooking oil (an adequate amount to fry the mutton koftas)
To make the korma:
- 1 piece onion (medium-sized, sliced)
- 10 cloves garlic (peeled, whole)
- 1 piece ginger (2-inch size, roughly sliced)
- 4 pieces green cardamom
- 5 pieces cloves
- 1 piece cinnamon (1-inch stick)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cup onion (for making the beresta)
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
- 3 green chilies (whole)
I got this recipe while visiting the ration shop. The woman ahead of me in line was discussing how difficult it was to cook something new with limited and same ingredients. She mentioned this unique recipe, and I joined the chat. When I asked the recipe, she smiled and shared her method.
I made it the next day. My husband was amazed by the creativity, and my boys loved the “ration recipe.” Now, it is our budget-friendly fix. That line reminded me that resourcefulness and flavor often walk hand in hand—especially among women who make the most of what little they have.
How to Make Mutton Kofta? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: In a mixer, take 10 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole), a piece of ginger (2-inch size, roughly sliced), 3 pieces of green chilies (whole), ½ piece of onion (medium size, roughly sliced) and grind them roughly.
Step 2: Now, add a portion of 750 grams of mutton keema to it and blend nicely. Check the texture. Transfer it to a bowl. Keep it aside.
Step 3: Now, take some more mutton keema in the mixer and add 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp of salt to it. Grind it them nicely and transfer it to the same bowl with the earlier minced mutton.
Step 4: Also, grind the remaining mutton keema as it is and transfer to the bowl. Now, to it, add 1 finely chopped medium-sized onion, a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves.
Step 5: In a clean and dry mixer, now take ½ cup of chana dal (roasted) and 1.5 tsp of poppy seeds (khas khas). Make a smooth powder of them.
Step 6: Add this powder to the minced mutton, leaving about a tablespoon of it to use in the korma.
Step 7: Mix them all nicely. Make relatively large kofta balls and keep them on a plate aside.
Step 8: Now, to fry the kofta balls, heat an adequate amount of cooking oil to fry the mutton koftas on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, put as many kofta balls in it as it can accommodate nicely. Flip with a fork and fry them nicely until they turn to a nice golden-brown color and cooked up to 30 to 40% only.
Step 9: Remove them one by one with a pair of tongs and keep them aside on a plate.
Step 10: Now, to make the korma, take 1 piece of onion (medium-sized, sliced), 10 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole), 1 piece of ginger (2-inch size, roughly sliced) and make a fine paste of them.
Step 11: Now, in a kadai or deep-bottom saucepan, heat about ½ a cup of cooking oil that is left after frying the kofta balls. Add 4 pieces of green cardamom, 5 pieces of cloves, and 1 piece of cinnamon (1-inch stick) along with the onion and ginger-garlic paste to it. Stir and fry the onions nicely until it turns to a slight golden-brown color.
Step 12: Now, turn the flame to low and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, and ½ tsp of turmeric powder to it. Mix them all well with the onion and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Now, add the remaining chana dal and poppy seeds powder to it and mix nicely.
Step 13: In the meantime, in the remaining oil in the frying pan, fry 1 cup of finely sliced medium sized onion to deep brown. Transfer it to the mixer. Also, add ½ cup of yogurt to it and make a smooth mixture.
Step 14: Add this mixture to the masala and mix it nicely. Fry it, stirring occasionally, until you see the oil separating. Now, add 1 tsp of salt to it. Mix nicely.
Step 15: Then, turn the flame to medium and add the fried kofta. Mix them nicely with the masala gravy.
Step 16: Now, add 1.5 cups of water to it and mix nicely. Cover and cook it on a low flame for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 17: Now, remove the lid and add 1 tsp of garam masala powder, a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves, and 3 green chilies (whole). Give it a nice final mix, cook for another minute on a medium flame and check the texture and consistency.
Step 18: Your tasty, spicy and delicious homemade mutton kofta is ready to serve. Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy it hot with roti, plain paratha, or lachha paratha.
Recipe Card
Mutton Kofta
Ingredients
To make the kofta balls:
- 750 grams mutton keema
- 10 cloves garlic peeled, whole
- 1 piece ginger 2-inch size, roughly sliced
- 3 pieces green chilies whole
- ½ piece onion medium size, roughly sliced
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 piece onion medium-sized, finely chopped
- Coriander leaves a handful, finely chopped
- ½ cup chana dal roasted
- 1.5 tsp poppy seeds khas khas
To fry the kofta:
- Cooking oil an adequate amount to fry the mutton koftas
To make the korma:
- 1 piece onion medium-sized, sliced
- 10 cloves garlic peeled, whole
- 1 piece ginger 2-inch size, roughly sliced
- 4 pieces green cardamom
- 5 pieces cloves
- 1 piece cinnamon 1-inch stick
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 cup of onion for making the beresta
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- Coriander leaves a handful, finely chopped
- 3 green chilies whole
Instructions
- In a mixer, take 10 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole), a piece of ginger (2-inch size, roughly sliced), 3 pieces of green chilies (whole), ½ piece of onion (medium size, roughly sliced) and grind them roughly.
- Now, add a portion of 750 grams of mutton keema to it and blend nicely. Check the texture. Transfer it to a bowl. Keep it aside.
- Now, take some more mutton keema in the mixer and add 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp of salt to it. Grind it them nicely and transfer it to the same bowl with the earlier minced mutton.
- Also, grind the remaining mutton keema as it is and transfer to the bowl. Now, to it, add 1 finely chopped medium-sized onion, a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves.
- In a clean and dry mixer, now take ½ cup of chana dal (roasted) and 1.5 tsp of poppy seeds (khas khas). Make a smooth powder of them.
- Add this powder to the minced mutton, leaving about a tablespoon of it to use in the korma.
- Mix them all nicely. Make relatively large kofta balls and keep them on a plate aside.
- Now, to fry the kofta balls, heat an adequate amount of cooking oil to fry the mutton koftas on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, put as many kofta balls in it as it can accommodate nicely. Flip with a fork and fry them nicely until they turn to a nice golden-brown color and cooked up to 30 to 40% only.
- Remove them one by one with a pair of tongs and keep them aside on a plate.
- Now, to make the korma, take 1 piece of onion (medium-sized, sliced), 10 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole), 1 piece of ginger (2-inch size, roughly sliced) and make a fine paste of them.
- Now, in a kadai or deep-bottom saucepan, heat about ½ a cup of cooking oil that is left after frying the kofta balls. Add 4 pieces of green cardamom, 5 pieces of cloves, and 1 piece of cinnamon (1-inch stick) along with the onion and ginger-garlic paste to it. Stir and fry the onions nicely until it turns to a slight golden-brown color.
- Now, turn the flame to low and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, and ½ tsp of turmeric powder to it. Mix them all well with the onion and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Now, add the remaining chana dal and poppy seeds powder to it and mix nicely.
- In the meantime, in the remaining oil in the frying pan, fry 1 cup of finely sliced medium sized onion to deep brown. Transfer it to the mixer. Also, add ½ cup of yogurt to it and make a smooth mixture.
- Add this mixture to the masala and mix it nicely. Fry it, stirring occasionally, until you see the oil separating. Now, add 1 tsp of salt to it. Mix nicely.
- Then, turn the flame to medium and add the fried kofta. Mix them nicely with the masala gravy.
- Now, add 1.5 cups of water to it and mix nicely. Cover and cook it on a low flame for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Now, remove the lid and add 1 tsp of garam masala powder, a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves, and 3 green chilies (whole). Give it a nice final mix, cook for another minute on a medium flame and check the texture and consistency.
- Your tasty, spicy and delicious homemade mutton kofta is ready to serve. Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy it hot with roti, plain paratha, or lachha paratha.
