Kashmiri Meatballs

Kashmir is a region in the north of the Indian subcontinent that has parts in both India and Pakistan. 

Ingredients:

1 pound finely ground lamb (they will be nice and tender, if finely ground)
3/4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (or one dried red chili, crumbled)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plain yogurt (+ 1 teaspoon for the meatball mixture)
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil* (+ one additional teaspoon for the meatball mixture)
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
6 ounces water
1 tablespoon ground cardamom

Mix the lamb, ginger, cumin, coriander, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, chili pepper, black pepper, salt, one teaspoon of yogurt and one teaspoon of oil (the yogurt and oil help to moisten the spices). Form the meatballs into oval shapes about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. In a heavy skillet (with a lid, or you can use aluminum foil), heat the oil, then add the cinnamon stick and the cloves. Brown the meatballs lightly on all sides over medium low heat, then remove them temporarily, while you stir in the yogurt, then the water (the yogurt should have cooled the oil enough to prevent spattering when you add the water, but be careful). Bring to a gentle boil, then add the meatballs again. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover the meatballs and cook, turning them occasionally, until the liquid is essentially gone, although there may be some oil/fat residue in the skillet. Turn off the heat, discard the cinnamon stick and whole cloves, then sprinkle on the cardamon and cover again for one or two minutes (keep heat off).    

* Some Indians/Pakistanis use clarified butter (called "ghee") to make this dish. Clarified butter is butter that has had the milk solids and much of the water removed, leaving the liquefied fat, thus keeping it from turning brown easily, as with regular butter.

WORD HISTORY:
Coriander-The ultimate origin of this word for a leafy plant, similar to parsley, from which both the leaves and the seed are used for food seasonings, is unknown. It goes back to Greek (transliterated) "koriannon," which spawned, "koriandron," and this was borrowed by Latin as "coriandrum," which became Old French (a heavily Latin based language) "coriandre." This was borrowed into English in the second half of the 1300s.