Kashmiri Chicken Rista (Meatballs)

Kasturi has prepared one of the very famous recipes from Kashmir, Kashmiri Chicken Rista. In the traditional recipe, they pound the meat until its absolutely minced to state where it will have a smooth texture but in modern days, time is a constraint hence she has made it with her twist.

Recipe Follows.

Ingredients :

• 500 gms boneless chicken 
• 10 garlic pods
• 1 inch of ginger
• 2 large finely diced onions
• 4 tbsp of Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tsp of garam masala
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 cup of yogurt
• 5 green cardamom
• 1 tbsp of cornflour/ Gram flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 4 tsp of cumin, coriander and fennel powder
• Fine powder of (8 cloves, 3 black cardamom, 1 tsp black pepper corns)
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• Chopped coriander half a cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil as per your need, I used approximately half a cup.

Method to make the Rista (Meat Balls)

• Wash and dry the boneless chicken. cut into cubes and transfer it into your food processor. In the food  processor also add around 4 large diced garlic pods, half an inch of diced ginger, some coriander, 1 tbsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp of garam masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, coriander powder and fennel powder. Season with salt. Now let the chicken grind with all the spices. Keep grinding for at least 10 mins until you get an absolute kheema or paste like chicken. Add a tbsp of cornflour and 1 tsp of baking powder and let it grind for one more round.
• Transfer the pounded spiced chicken on to a plate. Now take a bowl of water and wet your palms to make the ristas.
• Meanwhile on your stove keep a pot full of water to boil.We will be boiling the meatballs.
• After wetting your palms roll some even size meatballs, and keep using water to mould and give them an even surface. Ensure there are no cracks, you can seal the cracks with the help of water.
• Drop the meatballs into the boiling water and cover and cook for 8 minutes. Once they are cooked it will look like the below pic.

For the curry:

• In a large pot, heat the oil and transfer the diced onions, the rest of the diced garlic and ginger. Fry until brown on medium or high heat.
• Add a cup of beaten yogurt. Add the dry spices, 3 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin, coriander, fennel powder and 1 tsp of garam masala. Give it a good stir and later add 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Stir well.
• Don't throw away the chicken stalk after boiling the meatballs, use it in the gravy and create your desired consistency. 
• Transfer the meat balls into your gravy. Season with salt, 1 tsp cinnamon powder and the ground spice powder (8 cloves, 3 black cardamom, 1 tsp black pepper corns)
• Stir the gravy and the meatballs. add the green cardamoms.
• Cover the pot's mouth with a silver foil and then place the lid on it, to let it retain all the flavors of the spices.
• Let it cook for 50 mins on low flame.
• After 50 minutes remove the foil carefully as the steam might cause burns. Garnish with Coriander leaves. Add more chicken stalk if you need more gravy consistency and let it boil or serve hot as it is.

Hope you enjoy making this Kashmiri delicacy my way. Bon Appetit!

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