A phenomenal meatball curry recipe with tender and flavorful curry spiced meatballs, cooked in an authentic Sri Lankan curry sauce (gravy). Learn how to make the perfect meatball curry with plenty of tips on ingredient substitutions and other recipe adjustments. EASY - This is an easy recipe to follow. Making the meatballs from scratch is a little time-consuming, but will make the best meatballs that can be eaten and served on their own as well. To make things easier, you could make and cook the meatballs in bulk and freeze them. This way, you can easily whip up a meatball curry whenever you like.US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results. However, some variations are fine, since this is a cooking recipe. Some ingredient amounts should be adjusted to your taste (such as salt and cayenne pepper). Make sure to use a good curry powder, as this is crucial for the final result in this recipe.
1tspKashmiri chili or cayenne pepperplease adjust the level to your taste
1 ½tspground coriander
¾cupcoconut milkpreferably full fat coconut milk, about ½ can
1tspsugar
2 - 3tsplime juicejuice from 1 lime (to taste)
Salt to taste
1 - 1.5cupswater
Cilantro to topoptional
Instructions
Chicken meatballs
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure to add the fat (lard or vegetable oil) if you’re using lean meat.
900 g ground chicken, 4 - 5 garlic cloves, 1 inch piece of ginger, 2 tsp Sri Lankan curry powder, 3 - 4 cilantro roots, 45 g lard, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp salt
Feel free to substitute the chicken with any other ground meat.
Use a spatula or a spoon to mix the meat mixture. Take care to mix it all in one direction, to make the mixture sticky.
When mixed properly, the ground meat will become sticky (almost like dumpling filling). This will ensure you have nicely formed meatballs that will be juicy and not crumble when cooked.
To form the meat into meatballs, have a bowl of cold tap water close by so you can wet your hands and utensils which will prevent the meat from sticking to them.
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the meat mixture. I use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop. Take each portion and gently form it into a smooth ball by rolling it in your hands. Make sure your hands are wet, so that the meat doesn't stick. You should be able to get about 30 meatballs.
Let the meatballs sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate. This is optional, but I like to marinate them if I have time. You can also let them marinate BEFORE rolling them into balls.
To cook the meatballs on the stove
Heat a large nonstick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Heat about 2 tbsp of oil as well.
Oil
When the oil is hot, place the meatballs in the pan, at least 1.5 inches apart. DO NOT overcrowd the pan, since this will lead to “boiled” meatballs and not caramelize them properly.
Cook the meatballs for about 4 - 5 minutes on one side until the meat caramelizes into a golden brown color. Flip and cook the meatballs for a further 4 - 5 minutes to caramelize the other side.
The meatballs should ideally have a nice caramelized crust on 2 - 3 sides.
Transfer the cooked meatballs onto a plate and repeat until all the meatballs are cooked. Let them rest.
To cook the meatballs in the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C (conventional oven).
Line a baking tray (half sheet pan) with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
Place the meatballs on the lined baking sheet, separated by at least 1.5 inches.
When the oven is preheated, bake the meatballs in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, flipping them once halfway through baking time. The meatballs should ideally have some caramelization and color on them.
Transfer the cooked meatballs onto a plate and let them rest.
Making the curry base + meatball curry
In a large pot, braiser / deep skillet, or casserole skillet (stovetop safe), heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat.
Oil
When the oil is heated, add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, onion and chili. Sauté until the onions start to get some color on them.
3 cloves garlic, 1 inch piece of ginger, ½ medium onion, 2 red or green chili
Add the curry leaves, curry powder, chili powder, and ground coriander. Sauté for about 30 - 60 seconds until you start to smell the spices. DO NOT let the spices burn!
8 - 10 curry leaves, 1 tbsp Sri Lankan curry powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri chili or cayenne pepper, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
Add the coconut milk (for a thicker curry that is not creamy), or ¾ cup of water (for a creamy curry, as the coconut milk will be added later at the end).
¾ cup coconut milk, 1 - 1.5 cups water
Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs, sugar, and a generous pinch of salt to the curry base. Stir and simmer the meatballs in the curry base for about 15 - 20 minutes, uncovered.
1 tsp sugar, Salt to taste
Stir frequently, and top with water if the liquid starts to evaporate.
1 - 1.5 cups water
Taste and add more salt if needed.
During the last 5 minutes, add just a little water to make thick gravy (if needed).
For the creamy curry - During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the coconut milk (if you used water before). Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 3 - 4 minutes.
After simmering, add a little lime juice and taste to make sure the flavors are balanced.
2 - 3 tsp lime juice
Remove from the heat.
Sprinkle some fresh cilantro on top before serving warm with rice or roti.
Cilantro to top
Notes
Note about curry powder
Please make sure to use a good curry powder!This homemade curry powder is my favorite, but a curry powder from a south Asian grocery store (Sri Lankan curry powder or Madras curry powder) should work well.For an Indian meatball curry - You can use garam masala instead.Substitute the chicken with any ground meat for a beef or pork or lamb meatball curry. If you use old spices OR a bad curry powder, the curry will taste bad and bland. Older spices will also require MORE to be added to get the same flavor as freshly made curry powder. Please adjust the curry powder flavor to your taste if needed, towards the end of the cooking time. Adjust the cayenne pepper / kashmiri chili powder levels to your taste as well. We like to use about 2 tsp cayenne pepper for a spicy curry, but you may prefer less.
Storage instructions
You can cook the meatballs and freeze them ahead of time. However make sure that the meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature should register 165 F).Freeze the meatballs on a half sheet pan. Then place the frozen meatballs into a freezer bag or an air-right, freezer-friendly container. These can be frozen for up to 4 months.To thaw cooked meatballs, place them in the fridge overnight to thaw out, OR you can also add the frozen meatballs straight into the curry base. However, if you’re letting them thaw out in the curry, you will need to let them cook gently (on low heat) for longer, with the lid on.Raw meatballs can also be stored the same way, but they need to be thawed out in the fridge first. Then they can be cooked on the stove or oven before being added to the curry to cook further in the curry base.The cooked Sri Lankan chicken meatball curry can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months as well. Just portion it into freezer-friendly containers and freeze.You can even add some rice to the containers along with the meatballs and freeze these as a meal planning option.