Indian themed dishes, like this curried elk meatballs and butter sauce, have become a fast favorite around my house lately. Just trying to write about the balance of sweet and spicy in the dishes makes my mouth water just a little bit. The dishes are comforting and filled with rich aromas and creamy textures.
I have just barely started to explore cooking Indian foods at home. In fact, this curried elk meatball recipe is one of my first I have felt even confident enough in the very limited basics I have gathered to share. Starting to work with any new cuisine can feel a bit intimidating. There is so much to explore such as terms, tools, cooking techniques, flavor profiles, and more.
I started my journey with Indian food with learning about spices. Like many people, when I first started Indian dishes at home I grabbed “curry powder.” One of the biggest improvements to my dishes was learning about the actual spices used for making “curry powder” and mixing my own blends for each dish. I started simple with this curried meatball in butter sauce dish, limiting myself to turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin. I already have some ideas for the next dish I make up as I journey though the list of traditional Indian spices.
I also found this guide for how to start cooking Indian food in your own home very helpful.
I think this dish is a great starter point for making your first Indian dish. It will fill your belly with warmth and hearty spices and flavors, but it is very easy and quick to put together. Also, it is a really fun and different way to prepare your wild game!
I started with making the curried meatballs. I really liked how to the elk blended with the spices in these meatballs. They were packed with flavor and could have been eaten without anything added, such as the sauce, and still been delicious.
The meatballs were quick and easy. In a medium sized bowl, I mixed together the ground elk and two tablespoons of Greek yogurt. The yogurt helped hold the meatballs together. I also used a mircoplane to add in a few tablespoons of fresh ginger. You could use powdered if you don’t have access to fresh root, but the pop of fresh ginger is hard to beat. Next, I mixed in the spices: garlic, onion, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
I use an ice cream scoop to form my meatballs. Having everything a consistent size helps insure that they all bake evenly. Place the formed curried elk meatballs on a baking sheet. I like to cover mine with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes. You don’t need to worry about if they are cooked all the way through at this point, as they will finish cooking in the butter sauce.
While the curried elk meatballs are baking, start on the butter sauce. To a large skillet, one with deep sides, melt an entire stick of butter. Just as the butter starts to bubble and brown, add the onions and cook for five minutes. Add the grated ginger and cumin to the onions and cook an additional two to three minutes. Drop in a cinnamon stick for extra depth of flavor!
Add the diced tomatoes and chopped up anaheims to the butter sauce. It’s also time to add the rest of the spices: turmeric, coriander, cumin, and garam masala. Add the tomato paste and cup of vegetable stock. Stir it all up and bring to a light simmer.
Drop the meatballs into the sauce, cover with a lid and let the meatballs finish cooking for about ten minutes. Test the salt and pepper level of the sauce at this point to make sure they are to your liking. Finish the sauce off by mixing in the cup of coconut cream. The sauce should be a vibrant burnt orange color from the garam masala and turmeric.
I served this dish with a side of homemade naan bread. It also plates well over rice.
Happy Hunting!
Curried Elk Meatballs in Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- Pound ground elk (deer, pronghorn, moose, bear, etc)
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 Teaspoon powdered garlic
- 1 Teaspoon powdered onion
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 Teaspoon turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon garam masala
- 1 Teaspoon coriander
- 1 Teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Stick butter (1/4 pound)
- 1 Medium onion, diced
- 2 Tablespoons grated ginger
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 Tomatoes, diced
- 2 Anaheim peppers, diced
- 1 Teaspoon cumin
- 1 Teaspoon turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon garam masala
- 1 Teaspoon coriander
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Cup vegetable stock
- 1 Cup coconut cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium sized bowl, add pound of ground meat. Ground tablespoon of fresh ginger over the meat.
- To bowl add rest of ingredients: yogurt, garlic, onion, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Use your hands and get in there! Mix it all up.
- Roll meat into tablespoon size balls. Place on baking sheet (I like to line mine with aluminum foil for easy cleanup).
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
- Over medium heat in a large skillet, melt stick of butter. Once the butter barely starts to brown, add the onions. Allow to cook until translucent, about five minutes.
- Add grated ginger, cinnamon stick, and cumin to the pan. Stir and let cook for two minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes and Anaheim, cook for two to three minutes.
- Add teaspoon of cumin, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, tomato paste and cup of vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, add the curried meatballs, cover with a lid and let simmer for ten minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in coconut cream. Allow to warm up for a minute.
- To plate, place curried meatballs in a shallow bowl and generously cover in butter sauce, making sure you get a good serving of anaheims and tomatoes! Can be served with a side of rice or naan.
