Recipe by Abraham Risho

“Every culture in the world has some form of meatball which they consider comfort food; something you can eat in small bites as hors d’oeuvres, or pile atop pasta or rice for a quick, yet scrumptious meal. For me, Garam Masala is a go-to spice, quickly elevating your cooking skill, giving depth and flavor. This recipe takes patience, but it’s well worth the wait! Although the sauce can be cooked rather quickly, it’s best if you let the onions cook slowly to develop flavor and enrich the sauce. I came up with this stew after my girlfriend made a delicious batch of these meatballs. I prefer to make meatballs with lamb, sautéing them in rich, seasoned ghee which compliments the deeply flavorful dish. Take special care, however, to brown the meatballs on all sides to keep their structure.“
~Chef Abraham Risho
MEATBALLS
1lb ground beef or lamb
1 egg
½ large onion, shredded
2t ea garlic paste & grated ginger
2t salt
3T ghee
STEW
2T ghee
2C onion, minced
2T ea garlic & ginger, minced
1T Turmeric
2C warm water
1 Eggplant, peeled & cut into pieces ¼” x ¼” x 2”
2C coconut milk


Combine all meatball ingredients (minus ghee) and mix into a smooth & even paste.
Form golf-ball size meat-balls, then chill until ready for use.
Melt 2T ghee in sauté pan; add onions, ginger, garlic then sauté on low until translucent
Add Garam Masala & turmeric, sauté for less than a minute
Add warm water to sauce, simmer for 15 minutes until all water has evaporated and onions are caramelizing
And eggplant, gently stir until eggplant is tender (5 min)
Add coconut milk and reduce heat to simmer, cook 30 minutes
While stew cooks, sauté meatballs in 3T ghee until brown on all sides, remove from heat
When stew is complete, transfer meatballs to stew.
Simmer for 15 minutes until meatballs are firm and cooked all the way through
Serve over rice