Afghan meatball curry with rice pilaf (Kofta challaw)

Afghan cuisine has a very delicate profile. It uses a bit more spice than its Persian origins but less than its Indian neighbours. It is refined and delicate, with the perfect balance of spices and flavours.

This dish is a perfect example of the delicate flavours of the cuisine. The super soft meatballs and curry are flavorful from the spices and carry a hint of heat from the chillies. I also love that the meatballs are not fried but cooked in curry, a delicate technique that allows the meatballs to absorb the flavours and contribute to the dish. The tomato and onion-based curry absorbs the meat flavours and transforms into a wonderful sauce perfect with the rice.

In India, it is impossible to find beef, and it is very expensive to use lamb, so I have substituted it for ground mutton. The slightly stronger-flavoured meat added nuances to the dish that would otherwise be absent, so feel free to try this version. Alternatively, you can substitute ground chicken instead.

Durkhanai Ayubi tells her story of fleeing war-torn Afghanistan through recipes and stories in this cookbook. She runs two restaurants in Adelaide, is a freelance writer, and is a fellow of the Atlantic Institute. Through this book, she describes how new ideologies, such as Soviet-inspired communism and Islamic extremism, informed movements that challenged Afghan culture and traditions and led to the large-scale displacement of Afghans, including many members of her own family. This cookbook is filled with delicious and wonderful recipes, and they do stave my craving for excellent Afghan cuisine.

For more delicious recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

1 large onion, chopped

1 fresh red chilli, chopped

3 tablespoons cilantro, leaves and stems

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

Water, 2-3 tablespoons, or as needed

1/2 lb ground lamb, beef, mutton or a combination of lamb and beef

Salt, to taste

For the curry:

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon mild curry powder (Madras)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Salt, to taste

3 cups water

Cilantro, minced for garnish

For the rice:

2 cups Basmati rice

3-4 green cardamom pods

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted

1 tablespoon butter

Water, as needed

To make the meatballs:

Add the onions, red chilli, cilantro, garlic, coriander powder, and water to a blender and purée to form a thick, smooth paste. Set the blender aside unwashed to purée the curry.

Mix the paste with the meat and salt until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the mix is slightly sticky. Using your hands is the easiest and best method. Please make a small teaspoon-sized meatball and fry it in a small pan. Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed. The meatballs should be delicately flavoured and seasoned.

Divide the meat mixture into 12 portions and make small meatballs, about golf ball size. Set aside in the fridge to chill and firm up.

To make the rice:

Mix all the ingredients and cook in a rice cooker or on the stove. Keep warm.

To make the curry:

Add the tomatoes and garlic to a small blender, which can be the same as the one used above without washing, and purée till smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pot large enough for the curry with meatballs and sauté the onions until they are golden about 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until the sauce is thickened a bit and does not look raw anymore, for about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, curry powder, vinegar, tomato paste, and salt and give a quick stir to mix in well.

Add the water and bring the sauce to a boil. Add the meatballs gently to the sauce so they do not break up. Ensure the meatballs are completely submerged in the sauce; if not, add water as needed. Be careful not to stir the pot at all for the first 15 minutes; you do not want to break up the meatballs. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken a bit, but that is fine. You want the flavours to concentrate a bit and the curry to start clinging to the meatballs. The curry is ready when the oils begin to float to the surface. Taste and adjust for salt.

Serve hot with the curry surrounded by rice and garnished with cilantro.