During the holidays, I make these spiced turkey meatballs in a cashew-tomato sauce. They are one of my favorite dishes. I’ve added mushrooms to the mixture as an ode to Jacques Pépin, as he served a wonderful mushroom soup to me when I visited with him at his home. This dish can easily be made ahead and reheated. Delicious!

Turkey Mushroom Kofta Tikka Masala

Category

Category name

Serves

6

For the Cashew Paste

Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • ½ cup hot water

Method

  1. Soak the cashews in hot water for 1 hour. When soft, add to the bowl of a blender and purée to a paste.

For the Kofta

Ingredients

  • ½ pound ground turkey
  • ½ pound mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
  • ¼ cup cream cheese
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • ½ cup chopped mint
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • Pinch saffron
  • ½ cup panko
  • 2 small red onions, finely chopped
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons tandoori masala
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 2 jalapeño chiles, grated, optional

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, mushrooms, ginger-garlic paste, cream cheese, egg, mint, cilantro, saffron, panko, onions, salt, tandoori masala, garam masala and kasoori methi. Using your hands, mix very well, making sure that the cream cheese is well distributed. Let sit for 1 to 2 hours so that the flavors marry. Lightly oil an ovenproof dish and your hands before forming the mixture into meatballs, about 12.
  2. Preheat the broiler to high. Broil the meatballs until crispy on top, 5 to 7 minutes. They don’t have to be cooked all the way through as they will continue to cook in the sauce.

For the Tikka Masala Sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter or oil
  • 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
  • 2 teaspoons tandoori masala
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • Turmeric
  • 2 cups tomato purée
  • ½ cup cashew paste
  • 1 cup coconut milk or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Method

  1. Heat the butter in a large shallow pan, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until golden and fragrant, 1 minute. Add the pink salt, tandoori masala, garam masala, kasoori methi, and turmeric and sauté gently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato purée, cashew paste, coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Season with a little honey and additional salt if needed.

For Garnish and To Assemble

Ingredients

  • Cilantro leaves

Method

  1. Add the broiled meatballs to the tikka sauce, stirring and tossing them gently until they are coated with sauce and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the meatballs over rice, garnished with cilantro leaves.