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Spiced Lamb Meatballs in Curry Sauce

Spiced Lamb Meatballs in Curry Sauce reads umami 6.7, richness 6.3 and allium 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 43 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Richness 6.3 · Allium 4.9 · Salinity 3.7 · Warm Spice 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Sweetness 2.6 · Heat 2.4 · Earthy 2.3 · Sourness 1.8 · Floral 1.6 · Fruity 1.5 · Funk & Ferment 1.3 · Nutty 1.3 · Bitterness 1.1 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (15)

• lamb — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 24 g
• ginger — 30 g
• garam masala — 15 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• egg — 100 g
• cilantro — 15 g
• salt — 9 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• coriander — 1 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• heavy cream — 118 g

Time & effort: about 43 min (42 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 124.5 kcal, 7 g protein, 7.8 g fat, 6.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, half the grated onion, half the garlic, half the ginger, half the garam masala, the panko, egg, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — overmixing makes the meatballs dense. Shape into 20 meatballs, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs in two batches until deeply browned on all sides but not cooked through, 5-6 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining onion to the pot; reduce heat to medium and sauté, scraping up the browned bits, until the onion is softened and golden at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
4. Stir in the remaining garlic, remaining ginger, remaining garam masala, coriander, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens a shade and smells sweet rather than sharp, about 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits; bring to a steady simmer.
7. Nestle the seared meatballs into the sauce in a single layer, spooning some sauce over the top. Cover partially and simmer, turning the meatballs once, until they reach 165°F at the center and the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon, 18-20 minutes.
8. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer uncovered until the sauce turns glossy and slightly deeper in color, 3-4 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and taste — add more salt or cayenne if the sauce needs it. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve over rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef and Potato Curry — Indian
• Curried Ground Beef with Peas — Indian
• Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Tomato Cream — Italian-American
• Lamb and Potato Curry — Indian
• Skillet Chicken Curry with Peppers — Indian

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.