Recipe Manuscript

—Beef Forcemeat Ball Curry

Name: —Beef Forcemeat Ball Curry
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: Beef, fatty cuts, 900–950 g (plus extra offcuts for broth if desired); Salt, 5 g (1 teaspoon); Black pepper, freshly ground, 1 g (a good pinch); Fresh garden herbs (parsley, thyme, coriander), finely chopped, 5 g total (1 teaspoon); Fresh breadcrumbs, 30 g (2 tablespoons), plus extra for rolling; Beef broth or milk, 30–60 ml (2–4 tablespoons), as needed for moistening; Egg, 1 whole; Lard or ghee, 30–45 ml (2–3 tablespoons); Ground curry spices (e.g., turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder), 5–10 g total (1–2 teaspoons) or to taste; Additional salt to taste; Water or beef broth, 240 ml (1 cup)

1880

From the treasured pages of The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)Asian Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1880

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

—Beef Forcemeat Ball Curry

"Get rather more than two pounds of good fat beef; wash it thoroughly, and cut it into pieces, rejecting all veins and scraggy portions; put about two pounds of it into a mortar and pound it fine, removing all fibres, veins, &c., and if it be desired put up a broth of all the rejections. Mix with the pounded beef a teaspoonful of salt, pepper, and garden herbs, and two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs; add a little of the broth, or in its absence some milk; mix the whole well together; beat up the yolk and white of the egg, add it to the mixture, and make into balls about the size of large walnuts; roll them in bread-crumbs. After heating the pot, melt the lard or ghee, and fry brown the ground ingredients, sprinkling a tablespoonful of cold water over them; then add the coftas or balls with salt to taste, and fry or brown them; after which pour into the pot either a cup of broth or of water, and allow to simmer for about two hours. N.B.—Some cooks add to the beef cofta curries ground hot spices, which are fried with the curry condiments, and are suited to most tastes."

Note on the Original Text

Historical recipes like this were written for readers expected to have intuitive cooking skills; measurements are imprecise, with 'about two pounds' and 'a teaspoonful' as typical descriptors—reflecting reliance on experience and judgement rather than precise scales. Spelling reflects period conventions—'coftas' instead of modern 'koftas', and abbreviations like 'yolk and white of the egg' for a whole egg. The fluid narrative assumes the cook's familiarity with basic butchery, frying, and simmering, offering ample room for adaptation to available ingredients or taste preferences.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India (1880)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1880

Publisher

Thacker, Spink & Co.

Background

A delightful and practical guide to the vibrant culinary world of India, this handbook serves up classic recipes and kitchen wisdom tailored for the subcontinent’s kitchens in the late 19th century. Perfect for adventurous cooks eager to explore authentic Indic flavors.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from 'The Indian cookery book', published in Calcutta in 1880—a fascinating moment when British colonial households in India eagerly blended Indigenous techniques and flavors with European sensibilities. Cookbooks like this guided English-speaking families and colonial staff in navigating local ingredients and culinary influences, leading to Anglo-Indian dishes such as this beef kofta (forcemeat ball) curry. The instructions are both practical and tailored to home cooks working under sometimes challenging conditions, encouraging resourceful use of ingredients amid unfamiliar surroundings.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, a large stone or metal mortar and pestle was essential for pounding the beef and spices to a fine consistency before mechanical grinders existed. Sharp knives and a sturdy chopping board helped trim and process the meat. Cooking was done in heavy-bottomed cast-iron or brass pots (such as a 'dekchi' or 'patili') over open charcoal or wood fires, with ghee or rendered animal fats for frying. A whisk or fork was used for beating eggs, and muslin cloths might strain the broth if desired.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

Beef, fatty cuts, 2–2.1 lb (plus extra offcuts for broth if desired)
Salt, 0.18 oz (1 teaspoon)
Black pepper, freshly ground, 0.04 oz (a good pinch)
Fresh garden herbs (parsley, thyme, coriander), finely chopped, 0.18 oz total (1 teaspoon)
Fresh breadcrumbs, 1 oz (2 tablespoons), plus extra for rolling
Beef broth or milk, 1–2 fl oz (2–4 tablespoons), as needed for moistening
Egg, 1 whole
Lard or ghee, 1–1 1/2 fl oz (2–3 tablespoons)
Ground curry spices (e.g., turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder), 0.18–0.35 oz total (1–2 teaspoons) or to taste
Additional salt to taste
Water or beef broth, 8 fl oz (1 cup)

Instructions

Begin with just over 2 pounds of good quality, fatty beef.
Rinse it thoroughly, removing all visible veins and sinew, then cut into small chunks.
Set aside roughly 2 pounds for the main mixture and reserve any offcuts to make a flavorful broth—just simmer with water, then strain.
Place the beef in a food processor (or mortar and pestle if you want to respect tradition) and pulse until finely minced, making sure there are no tough fibres left.
To the minced beef, add a teaspoon (about 0.18 oz) of salt, a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper, and a teaspoon of finely chopped mixed garden herbs such as parsley, thyme, or coriander.
Fold in two heaping tablespoons (about 1 oz) of fresh breadcrumbs.
If the mixture feels dry, moisten it with a little broth (or milk if you prefer).
Beat one whole egg and add it to the beef mixture, combining everything until cohesive.
Form the mixture into balls approximately 1 1/2 inches wide (the size of large walnuts), and roll each one in extra breadcrumbs.
In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 2–3 tablespoons (1–1 1/2 fl oz) of ghee or lard.
Gently fry your chosen curry spices (such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili powder) until aromatic, splashing a tablespoon of cold water into the pan as you go.
Add the beef balls (koftas) and another pinch of salt.
Brown them evenly.
Pour a cup (about 8 fl oz) of broth or water into the pot, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the balls are richly sauced and tender.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 25 minutes to prepare the ingredients and shape the beef balls. Cooking the koftas in the sauce takes around 2 hours. Each serving contains about 350 calories, and the recipe makes 6 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.