Nargisi Kofta

Before you start

• Boil the eggs 9 minutes, cool under running water and peel carefully. A torn white makes a kofta that splits in the oil.
• Cook and grind the mince at least an hour ahead and chill it. Cold mince wraps cleanly, warm mince slides off.
• Have the gravy finished and waiting before you fry. The koftas go in only at the last moment.

Method

1. Simmer the mince with the drained chana dal, one sliced onion, ginger and garlic pastes, salt and 150ml water until dry, about 20 minutes.Cook it down until the pan is genuinely dry. Damp mince will not seal around the egg.
2. Cool, then grind to a stiff paste and knead in the roasted besan, green chilli, chopped coriander and half the garam masala. Refrigerate 45 minutes.
3. Divide into 6, flatten each into a disc on your wet palm and wrap it around an egg, sealing every seam.Hunt for cracks with your fingertips before frying. One gap and the kofta bursts.
4. Deep fry two at a time in medium-hot oil, turning, until an even deep brown, 3–4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. For the gravy, fry the two remaining sliced onions in 2 tbsp ghee until deep brown, 12 minutes. Drain, cool and grind with the soaked cashews and 4 tbsp water.
6. Heat the remaining ghee with the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves for 30 seconds, then add the onion-cashew paste and cook 5 minutes.
7. Off the heat, whisk in the yogurt in three additions, return to a low flame and stir 6 minutes until the fat separates.Adding cold yogurt to a hot pan in one go is how this gravy splits.
8. Add the coriander powder, kashmiri chilli, mace, remaining garam masala and salt and cook 3 minutes, then pour in 350ml warm water and simmer 12 minutes.
9. Halve each kofta lengthways with a sharp knife so the egg shows, and lay them cut side up in the gravy.
10. Spoon the gravy over, add the saffron milk, cover and rest off the heat 5 minutes before serving.Do not simmer the koftas in the gravy. They go soggy and fall apart.

Safe temperatures: Minced meat is done at 71°C / 160°F all the way through. Egg dishes are done at 71°C / 160°F; a whole egg when the yolk and white are both firm. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov

Storage

The gravy keeps 3 days refrigerated on its own. Store koftas separately and reheat them 5 minutes in a hot oven, then combine at the table. Do not freeze.