Mutton Kola Urundai
deep-fried mince and lentil balls, dense and heavy with pepper and fennel
Allergens in Mutton Kola Urundai: none of the ten listed below.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 400g, minced Muttonlean; too much fat and the balls fall apart
- 75g, soaked 1 hour Chana Dalthe binder and the texture
- 12 small, chopped Shallot
- 8 cloves Garlic
- 1 inch Ginger
- 3 sprigs, chopped Curry Leaves
- 2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Fennel Seedsthe signature note of kola urundai
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 5 Dried Red Chilli
- 3 Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 1 small Star Aniseoptional
- 1/2 tsp Stone Flowerkalpasioptional
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 3 tbsp, grated Coconutoptional
- 3 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
- 2 tbsp Rice Flourinsurance if the mix is looseoptional
- 500ml, for deep frying Neutral Oil
- to taste Salt
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai, blender
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Soak the chana dal 1 hour, then drain it thoroughly. Wet dal makes a mix that will not hold its shape.
- Boil the mince with turmeric and salt for 10 minutes and drain it well before grinding. Cooking first is what gives kola urundai its tight, dense bite.
- Chill the ground mixture 20 minutes before rolling. Cold mix rolls smooth and does not crack in the oil.
Method
- Boil the minced mutton with the turmeric, salt and 100ml water for 10 minutes, until it is cooked and dry. Drain and cool.
- Dry-roast the pepper, fennel, cumin, chillies, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and stone flower for 3 minutes over low heat, then cool.
- Grind the drained chana dal coarsely with the roasted spices. You want texture, not a paste.Grind dry. Adding water here is the single most common reason kola urundai disintegrate in the oil.
- Add the cooked mince, shallots, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, coconut and coriander leaves and pulse to a thick, sticky mass.
- Check the bind by rolling one ball. If it cracks or sags, work in the rice flour a spoon at a time. Chill 20 minutes.
- Roll into smooth balls the size of a small lime, about 18 of them, pressing firmly.
- Heat the oil to 170C. A pinch of the mix should rise in 3 seconds without browning instantly.Too hot and the outside blackens while the middle stays raw-tasting; too cool and they soak up oil and break.
- Fry in batches of 5-6 for 5-6 minutes, turning, until deep mahogany brown and firm.
- Drain on paper and rest 3 minutes before eating.
Safe temperatures: Minced meat is done at 71°C / 160°F all the way through. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat in a hot oven or dry pan for 5 minutes to crisp the shell; they can also be dropped into a kuzhambu and simmered 10 minutes.
Nutrition Low estimate
One serving of Mutton Kola Urundai (181 g) is about 434 calories, or 240 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 27 g a serving, 25% of the calories
| Per serving181 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 434 kcal | 240 kcal |
| Protein | 26.9 g | 15 g |
| Carbohydrate | 26.2 g | 14 g |
| of which sugars | 2.9 g | 2 g |
| Fibre | 6.0 g | 3 g |
| Fat | 25.5 g | 14 g |
| of which saturated | 6.1 g | 3 g |
| of which unsaturated | 17.5 g | 10 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for curry leaves, mutton, stone flower. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Tamil Nadu recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.