AI-generated image
Kari boulettes
Spiced meatballs in coconut curry
கறி பூலெத்: Puducherry Creole spiced meatballs in a tomato and coconut curry
Kari boulettes come from Puducherry's Franco-Tamil Creole families, whose Sunday tables mix French names with Tamil spice boxes. Minced mutton or beef is mixed with onion, herbs and a little egg into small balls, then simmered in a curry of tomato, onion, poppy seed and coconut milk, often served with rice or crusty bread on feast days and at Christmas. The common mistake is stirring the balls as soon as they go into the gravy, which breaks them; let them set for five minutes, then only shake the pan. The meatballs are done when they reach 71 °C in the centre. Chef's tip: chill the shaped balls for 20 minutes before cooking so they hold their shape.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the boulettes
- 1 ⅛ lb minced mutton or lamb
- 1 small oniongrated and squeezed
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 eggbeaten
- ¾ tsp salt
For the curry
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 3 tomatoespuréed
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp white poppy seedssoaked and ground
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tsp salt
- 10 curry leaves
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb minced mutton or lamb, 1 small onion, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 green chilli, 3 tbsp fresh coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 egg and ¾ tsp salt with your hands for 2 minutes until sticky. Shape into 24 small balls and chill for 20 minutes on a plate in the fridge.
25 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide pan over medium heat, add 10 curry leaves and 2 onions and fry 8 minutes until golden.
8 minStep 3: Add 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 2 tsp ground coriander and ½ tsp ground turmeric, stir 30 seconds, then add 3 tomatoes and ½ tsp salt. Cook 8 minutes until thick and the oil separates.
9 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp white poppy seeds and ¾ cup water and bring to a simmer.
3 minStep 5: Lower in the boulettes in one layer. Cover and simmer 5 minutes without stirring, then gently shake the pan and cook 10 minutes more, until they reach 160°F in the centre.
15 minStep 6: Pour in ¾ cup coconut milk and warm through for 3 minutes without boiling. Serve with rice or bread.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kari boulettes take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of green chilli?
- A pinch of chilli flakes per chilli.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
