Most kofta curry recipes start with the part nobody has time for on a Tuesday: mincing, seasoning, kneading and rolling the meatballs by hand. That step alone takes 25 minutes and leaves you with a bowl, a board and two hands to wash.

This version skips it entirely. Our Lamb Kofta Balls are hand-rolled in-store from premium minced lamb and already seasoned with the traditional blend of coriander, cumin, garlic and fresh herbs, so they go straight from the tray into the pan. You brown them, build a simple onion-tomato masala in the same pot, and let everything simmer together for fifteen minutes.

The result is a rich, deeply spiced curry with tender kofta that hold their shape, made in one pot, in about half an hour. Most people know kofta as a BBQ and grill item. It is just as good braised, and arguably better in a Melbourne winter.

Recipe at a Glance

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Cook time: 25 minutes

• Total time: 35 minutes

• Serves: 4 (generously, with rice)

• Cuisine: North Indian / Pakistani

• Difficulty: Easy - one pot, no browning off in batches required

• Equipment: One deep frying pan or wide saucepan with a lid

Ingredients For the Kofta

1 pack Lamb Kofta Balls (approximately 500g) - or the 10-pack of Lamb Kofta Balls if you are feeding six or want leftovers

2 tablespoons neutral oil, for browning

For the Curry Base

• 2 large brown onions, finely sliced - from our fresh vegetable range

• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, grated

• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 400g tinned crushed tomatoes)

• 2 green chillies, split lengthways (optional)

• 150g plain yoghurt, whisked smooth

• 250ml water or light stock

Spices

Everything below is available in our Spices & Groceries range, alongside basmati rice, ghee, tinned tomatoes and naan.

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (for colour more than heat)

• ½ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp garam masala, to finish

• Salt, to taste

To Finish

• Small handful fresh coriander, chopped

• Squeeze of lemon

• 1 tbsp cream or extra yoghurt (optional, for a richer finish)

A note on seasoning: our kofta are already salted and spiced, so hold back on salt in the masala until the kofta have gone in and the curry has simmered. Taste, then adjust.

Method

1. Brown the kofta. Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the kofta balls in a single layer and leave them alone for 2 minutes before turning. You are after colour on 3 or 4 sides, not cooked through - roughly 6 minutes total. Lift them out and set aside on a plate. Leave the oil and browned bits in the pan; that is your flavour base.

2. Start the masala. Add the cumin seeds to the same pan and let them sizzle for 20 seconds. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until genuinely golden and soft. This is the one step you should not rush - pale onions make a thin, sharp curry.

3. Build the base. Stir in the garlic, ginger and split green chillies. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the ground coriander, ground cumin, chilli powder and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds, adding a splash of water if the spices catch.

4. Add the tomatoes. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, pressing them down with the back of your spoon, until the mixture thickens and you see oil separating at the edges. That separation is the signal the base is ready.

5. Temper the yoghurt. Turn the heat to low. Whisk the yoghurt until smooth, then stir it in a spoonful at a time. Adding it slowly and off a high heat stops it splitting.

6. Simmer the kofta. Return the kofta and any resting juices to the pan. Pour in the water or stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally rather than stirring hard, so the kofta stay whole.

7. Finish. Uncover, sprinkle over the garam masala, add the cream if using, and simmer for a final 2 minutes to reduce. Off the heat, add lemon and fresh coriander. Rest for 5 minutes before serving - the sauce thickens and the kofta soak up more of it.

Getting It Right: Five Things That Make a Difference

Do not skip the browning

It is tempting to drop the kofta straight into the sauce. Browning them first builds a crust that keeps them intact through the simmer and adds a roasted depth the curry cannot get any other way.

Shake, do not stir

Once the kofta go back in, stirring with a spoon will break them apart. Hold the pan handle and give it a gentle shake to move things around instead.

Control the heat with the chilli, not the powder

Kashmiri chilli powder is there for the deep red colour. If you want real heat, add more green chilli or leave the seeds in. If you are cooking for kids, leave the chillies whole and lift them out before serving.

Get the sauce consistency you want

For a thick, scoopable curry to eat with naan, use 150ml of water. For a looser curry that pools around rice, use the full 250ml or a little more. You can always reduce it down at the end.

It is better the next day

The kofta continue to absorb the masala overnight. Make it on Sunday, eat it Monday, and it will taste like a restaurant version.

What to Serve With It

• Basmati rice or jeera rice - the default, and the best way to use up the sauce

• Naan, roti or paratha, available in our Frozen Goods range

• A simple kachumber of diced onion, tomato and cucumber from the vegetable range

• Plain yoghurt or a mint raita to cut the richness

• Pickle and papadum from Spices & Groceries

Three Ways to Change It Up

Kofta Korma

Leave out the tomatoes entirely. Double the yoghurt, add 2 tablespoons of ground cashew or almond, and finish with cream. Milder, paler and richer - good for a crowd with mixed spice tolerance.

Kofta in Green Masala

Blend a large bunch of coriander, a handful of mint and 2 green chillies into a paste and stir it through in place of half the tomato. Fresh, sharp and vivid green.

Kofta Sub or Wrap

Reduce the sauce right down until it is thick and clinging, then load the kofta into a bread roll with red onion, lettuce and garlic sauce. If you like this direction, our Mutton Chapli Kebab works the same way as a patty.

Making Ahead and Freezing

Cook the curry completely, cool it fully, and freeze in portions for up to three months. Reheat gently from frozen with a splash of water, covered, over low heat. Avoid the microwave on high - it toughens the kofta.

You can also freeze the kofta balls raw on the day you buy them, and freeze the masala base separately. That way a full curry is 15 minutes away on any given weeknight.

Why Start With Ready-Rolled Kofta

Our Lamb Kofta Balls are made in-store from premium minced lamb, hand-seasoned and hand-rolled fresh. There are no fillers doing the work of the meat, and the seasoning is balanced for both grilling and braising, which is why they hold up in a curry as well as they do on skewers.

Everything we sell is halal certified. If you are cooking for a bigger table, the 10-pack is the better buy, and it is worth browsing the rest of the BBQ Range & Marinations while you are there - the Goat & Lamb Kebab Mix and Chicken Malai Boti both work in the same one-pot format with small adjustments.

We deliver across Melbourne, with free delivery on orders over $250. Check whether we deliver to your suburb, or browse the full Lamb & Sheep range if you would rather build your kofta from scratch.