Kofta is a type of meatball or meatloaf dish that is eaten throughout the Indian subcontinent, Middle East, Balkans, Central Asia, and Caucasus regions. It originated in the middle ages, where it was almost exclusively eaten by the nobility and aristocracy. Back in the day, this was quite the lavish dish. There is a great amount of diversity amongst kofta dishes – each region has their own style and particular culinary traditions. At its core though, kofta is simply minced meat, made from lamb, mutton, beef, or chicken and heavily seasoned. But it may be more accurate to call kofta a type of cooking style, as there are some vegetarian versions that are made in the manner as traditional meat kofta. It is one of those dishes where it’s hard to say what exactly makes it unique, but you know it when you see it. Below, are some kofta variations to get you started.
1.Paneer Kofta
Paneer kofta comes straight out of the Indian subcontinent where paneer reigns supreme. It is made using grated paneer, coriander leaves, red chili powder, and cooked with tomato gravy and curd. With paneer being the primary ingredient, this is firmly a vegetarian kofta.
2. Nargisi Kofta
This kofta dish comes from the Mughal Empire where it was made for emperors – that’s right, this is the real royal kofta. The koftas are stuffed with eggs before frying them and simmering them in a creamy gravy.
3. Mutton Kofta
This is another classic kofta that also hails from the Mughal Empire. It uses mutton as its main component, making it a sweet and spicy dish that you will absolutely love.
These are just some of the kofta dishes that you can try. But the world of kofta is expansive and profound, so get to exploring.
