Meatball Curry with Sundried Coconut Gravy – Mumbai East Indian Style

This post may contain affiliate links. (Disclaimer here) And if you wonder why some images are marked TheWingedFork, it's because Abby's Plate was once a part of my other blog TheWingedFork.

Gluten free icon on Abbysplate website.
meat icon on Abbysplate website.
No added sugar icon on Abbysplate website.
Jump to Recipe
4.84 out of 5 Stars by 6 readers!

Meatball Curry is a traditional East Indian curry with meatballs. Serve with haldi rice, chitaps, orias, or fugias for dinner or lunch along with a salad and you have the perfect meal!


Food is a huge part of our East Indian culture. Spicy curries, breads, and sweets leave an impact on many people even outside our culture. This ball curry dish is one of my favorites; so delicious, it feels like a warm hug.

A bit different from the Anglo-Indian Meatball Curry recipe and the Goan Ball Curry recipes, our meatballs are cooked before they are added to the curry and there’s also a difference in the spices and ingredients used. Even in our homes, each ‘aunty’ or ‘granny’ has a different way of making their meatball curry, this is mom’s moms’ version aka my granny’s version.

And don’t worry, when we say ‘ball’ curry it doesn’t refer to any kapuras (goat’s balls) or other body parts. Although bull balls or testicles are a delicacy in some countries, as are kapuras over here, our meatballs for the curry are made of minced beef.

That being said, although kapuras are normal fare here, I did have the opportunity to eat bull’s balls at Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi Kenya but didn’t have the courage.

Anyway, back to our ethnic East Indian meatball curry recipe, why not make it at home and let us know what you think?

Ingredients For Spicy Meatball Curry

For the ground masala which we just refer to as masala, you need the following spices and ingredients; red chilies, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, cinnamon sticks, garlic flakes, khus-khus, jeera, peppercorns, cardamons, cloves, teel or sesame seeds, and kopra or copra which is sundried coconut.

To make the meatballs:
You will need minced beef, onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and bread. (If you don’t want to use bread, use two eggs to hold the meatballs together.)
For the curry:
You will need ghee, onions, potatoes, salt, ground masala, and meatballs.

Disclaimer: Since we’re located in Mumbai, India, we are only allowed to consume buffalo beef since cow beef is banned. However, depending on the country you’re in, you can use any beef you prefer.

How To Make Meatball Curry?

Part 1: Make The Meatballs

You can start with the meatballs; keep the minced beef drained and ready. Chop the onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic real fine. Or you can use a chopper to mince them. We do that when we want a finer mixture. But whichever way you prefer is fine.

Raw minced beef in a vessel.
Minced beef
Cut onions, chilies and garlic and ginger on achoping board.
Cut onions, chilies, ginger, garlic for the mince

Add the finely chopped onion, garlic, green chilies, and ginger to the mince and mix.

Minced chilies, ginger, garlic and onion added to minced beef.
Add minced onions, chillies, garlic, and ginger to the minced beef

Soak a few bread slices in water. After a while, squeeze the water from the bread slices and add them to the minced beef as well. This helps give the meatballs a softer texture. This step is optional. Otherwise, you can use two eggs to hold the meatballs together. Or if you prefer ‘tagda’ or chunky meatballs, you can skip the bread.

READ NEXT  How to make the Indian Green Chutney?
Brown bread soaking in water in a yellow bowl.
Soak bread in water

Mix the bread and chopped onions, ginger, garlic, and chilies well into the minced beef and make small golfball-sized balls like in the pic below. Place these balls in a Kadai (wok) or a frying pan and allow them to cook in their own juices so that they are basically steamed.

Choose your vessel or pot depending on how much you intend to make. We’ve used kadais or frying pans at different times.

Raw meat balls in a vessel.
Can also use a kadai to cook the meatballs
Meat balls in a blue frying pan on a stove.
Cooked meat balls in a frying pan.
Cook the meatballs in a frying pan

Part 2: Make the Curry for the Meat Balls

You then keep the cooked meatballs aside and start with the preparation for the curry. Soak some tamarind pieces in water and make juice or pulp.

Tamarind soaking in water in abowl.
Soak tamarind in water

In a mixer-grinder, add all the other ingredients I’ve listed above for the masala and grind them together with a little water and make a paste.

Ground spices made paste in a mixer.
Grind the spices and make a paste

Heat ghee in a pan. Slice some onions fine and fry them in ghee till soft. Then add the ground masala and fry. Add the tamarind water and allow this mixture to simmer on a medium flame for a while. Add in a few bay leaves for flavor as well. Add in a few pieces of chopped potatoes and bring to a boil.

Sliced onions in a vessel with oil.
Fry the onions in oil
Potatoes pieces in a curry in a vessel.
Add potatoes to the curry

Lastly, add in the cooked meatballs and allow them to soak and cook with the curry for a little while longer.

Meatballs added to the curry in a Kadai.
Add meatballs to the curry
Meatballs and potatoes cooking in a kadai.
Cook for a while

And there you have it, the delicious meatball curry is ready! Serve with fugias, varias, chitaps or rice, and a refreshing salad.

Delicious ball curry with potatoes and bayleaf in a white vessel.
Yummy Ball Curry in a plate with potatoes and bayleaf.
Yummy Ball curry!
Meat ball pieces in a bowl with curry..
Top view of East Indian meatball curry in a green platter.
Mom’s meatballs are the best!
East Indian meatball curry in a green platter.
East Indian meatball curry, spicy and delicious!
Front view of East Indian meatball curry in a green platter.

Rich Meatball Curry with Spicy Masala and Coconut Gravy

Sarah
East Indian meatball curry is a flavourful curry with beef or veal meatballs in it. Made with many spices and coconut, it's popularly known as an East Indian Ball Curry recipe.
4.84 out of 5 Stars by 6 readers!

Click the stars to add your rating! Left you don’t like it, right you love it!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine East Indian
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 552 kcal
Gluten free icon on Abbysplate website.
meat icon on Abbysplate website.
No added sugar icon on Abbysplate website.

Ingredients
  

Ingredients to be ground for Ground Masala

  • 8 Dried Red Chillies Dry
  • 2 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon New Harvest Turmeric
  • 3 inch Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini)
  • 12 Garlic Cloves or Garlic Flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Khus-khus Poppy Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin (Jeera) Cumin
  • .5 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
  • 3 Green Cardamon Pods (Choti Elaichi)
  • 6 Cloves (Lavang)
  • .5 teaspoon Til Sesame seeds
  • 4 Tablespoon Copra Sundried Coconut (See alternatives in notes.)

For the Meat Balls

  • 1 kilogram Minced Beef Or Veal
  • 3 Onions Large
  • 6 Green Chillies – Fresh
  • 3 inch Ginger
  • 6 Garlic Cloves or Garlic Flakes
  • 5 slices Bread To be soaked in water

For the MeatBall Curry

  • 3 Tablespoon Ghee (Indian clarified butter)
  • 2 Onions Large
  • 1 teaspoon Salt Or as required
  • 3 Potatoes
  • Ground Masala From above
  • 5 Tamarind Pieces To make a juice or pulp
  • 300 ml Water For Tamarind to soak
  • 3 Bay Leaves

Instructions
 

Make the Meatballs

  • If you've bought fresh minced meat, you're ready to go. Else, keep the minced beef (or veal) out of the freezer and allow to thaw.
  • Finely chop the onions, green chilies, ginger and garlic or use a mixer-grinder.
  • Soak bread slices in water for a little while. (If you don't want to use bread, use two eggs.)
  • Add the finely chopped ingredients to the mince.
  • Squeeze the water from the bread and add the bread to the mince too.
  • Mix well, make small balls and place in a frying pan and cover the lid.
  • Allow the meatballs to cook in their own juices for about 15 minutes.

Grind the Masala

  • Add the dry red chilies, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, cinnamon sticks, garlic flakes, khus-khus, jeera, peppercorns, cardamons, cloves, sesame seeds, and copra (or roasted fresh coconut) to the mixer-grinder.
  • Grind these ingredients together with water and form a paste.

Prepare the Curry

  • Heat ghee in a pan and add onions and fry till soft for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the ground masala to the onions and cook for 5 more minutes.
  • Add in the tamarind juice, bay leaves, salt and chopped potatoes.
  • Allow this to simmer for about 5 more minutes and lastly add the meat balls.
  • Cook for about 5 mins more and your ball curry is ready!

Please click to rate the recipe! Left you don’t like it, right you love it!

Notes

  • Cook the meatballs in a frying pan or a kadai (wok) depending on the quantity.
  • Adding bread to the minced meat makes the meatballs softer.
  • Granny used to use eggs in the meatball curry, mom started using bread because we loved the softer meatballs. 
  • The tamarind juice gives the ball curry a tangy flavor.
  • If you don’t have copra, you can roast freshly grated coconut and use that instead.
READ NEXT  Batata Bhaji - Aloo Sabzi - Indian Potato Dish

Stuff You Might Want to Use

All Natural Slate Cutting Board
King Arthur Baking - Country Bread Knife
Non stick Frying Pan
Aluminium Kadai
Stainless Steel Spoon
Bay Leaves

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 904mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 5mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition Information per serving is estimated by a third party software based on the ingredients used, and is for informational purposes only. It will vary from product to product, based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients. Please consult the package labels of the ingredients you use, or chat with your dietician for specific details.

This printable recipe card is for home use only. For more recipes head over to AbbysPlate.com
Front view of East Indian meatball curry in a green platter.
Droolsome meatballs!

Cooking Tips & Tricks

  • You can use a frying pan or a kadai (wok) to cook the meat balls depending on the quantity you make.
  • Adding bread to the minced meat makes the meatballs softer.
  • The tamarind juice gives the ball curry a tangy flavour.
  • If you don’t have copra, you can roast freshly grated coconut on a tawa or pan and use this instead.
  • You can steam extra meatballs and store in the freezer for a few months. This way you only have to prepare the curry on the day you want it.
  • Serve with rice, roti, and salad or pickled garlic and pickled onions.
  • Don’t want a curry of the minced beef? Try these tasty potato chops.
READ NEXT  Easy Stovetop Roast Chicken With Root Veggies

Questions About Ball Curry

How Long Can You Store Ball Curry?

You can store ball curry in an air-tight container for about 3 months in the freezer or in the fridge for about 1 week.

Why Is It Called Ball Curry?

It’s called East Indian ball curry because we shape the minced beef into little balls and then cook them.

Is It Better To Fry Or Steam Meatballs?

That depends on the recipe and dish you are making. For this dish, the meatballs need to be steamed, however, if we make cutlets, then they are fried.

If you want our traditional East Indian recipes on hand, the Abby's Plate Cookbook Series books are available online or in-store in most countries.

Latest Book:
East Indian Celebration
Festive Recipes from Abby's Plate


See the full list of books here!

Other East Indian Recipes You Might Like

Pinterest image of East Indian Ball Curry Recipe.
Pinterest image of How to make East Indian Ball Curry.
Pinterest image of Meat Ball Curry East Indian Recipe.

3 thoughts on “Meatball Curry with Sundried Coconut Gravy – Mumbai East Indian Style”

  1. Correct recipe. After beef ban in Mumbai I have made this recipe with chicken mince, but doesn’t taste anything like the original lip smacking beef mince meatball curry of my childhood days5 stars

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating