Meatball and Pineapple Curry

Like most Kenyans with a sophisticated palate (ahem) I am tired of the same old onions, tomato and meat/fish stews. I have tried to make variations to this recipe by adding different spices and condiments but to my dismay it always ends up tasting more or less the same. In a quest to tantalize my taste buds with  a different flavor I stumbled upon this excellent curry  recipe which blew my mind of. 

I was initially skeptical because there was a myriad of spices required to execute this recipe but ultimately it all came together perfectly like a symphony. The way the coconut, merged with the ginger and blended with nuts was amazing. I would encourage all those bored with Kenyan stew to try this recipe out. I promise it shall not disappoint.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Meatballs
500g mince meat
2 sausages

Curry paste
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/3 cup raw groundnuts
1/4 cup grated tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon garam masala
3 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Curry
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
small bunch dhania/coriander, roughly chopped, stalks and leaves kept separate
½ of  a medium sized  pineapple, cut into chunks, (reserve the juice)
4 tbsp Korma paste (or gluten-free alternative)
500ml coconut milk/100gram pack coconut milk powder and mix with 500ml of hot water

Method

Meatballs

-Season the mince meat with salt and black pepper.  Remove the sausage meat from their casings and mix it with the mince meat.
-Shape the mixture into mini meatballs, about the size of a large plump.
-Put a shallow amount of oil in the pan and heat it, add the meatballs, rolling them round the pan until brown all over.
-When ready put them aside.

Curry Paste

-Cook the cumin seeds while stirring in a pan for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.
-In a blender mix the cumin seeds, groundnuts, grated tomato, dhania/ coriander, garlic, desiccated coconut, garam masala, ginger, paprika and turmeric until coarsely chopped.
-Add the oil and keep blending until a smooth paste forms.

Curry

-In a blender or food processor, blend the onion, ginger, garlic, coriander stalks and 2 tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice to a paste.
-With the oil reserved from frying the meatballs, put in the onion mixture and let it cook for a few minutes until soft.
-Add the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes.
-Add the meatballs and coat with the mixture in the pan.
-Add the coconut milk, pineapple chunks and any pineapple juice that might be left. Not forgetting to add some salt to taste.
-Let it simmer for 15minutes until the mixture is thick.
-Serve with rice or chapati

Enjoy the meatballs folks!