Machli Kofta Curry (Fish Kofta in Spiced Sauce)
Soft, herby white fish balls simmered in a smooth tomato curry sauce, bound without egg or breadcrumbs.
Made with Curry base sauce (onion and tomato) and Garam masala (homemade). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.20 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the fish dry and chop it very finely with a knife, or pulse in a food processor in short bursts. Mix with the gram flour, green chilli, ginger, coriander, turmeric and salt.
- 2
Wet your hands and roll the mixture into 16 balls. Chill for 15 minutes so they firm up.
15 min - 3
Heat the oil in a large non stick pan over a medium heat. Fry the koftas for 6 minutes, turning, until golden on the outside. Lift out onto a plate.
6 min - 4
Pour your ready made curry base sauce (see the base recipe) and the water into the same pan. Simmer for 6 minutes.
6 min - 5
Slide the koftas into the sauce and cook gently for 8 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Do not stir hard.
8 min - 6
Sprinkle over your ready made garam masala blend (see the base recipe) and serve with rice.
Tips
- Chill the fish balls before frying. Cold koftas hold their shape far better in the pan.
- Gram flour binds the mix without egg or breadcrumbs, which also makes it gluten and egg free.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 1 day in the fridge, cooled within 1 to 2 hours. Reheat gently until steaming hot all the way through. Uncooked kofta mixture can be frozen for 1 month.
Questions
Can I bake the koftas instead of frying?
Yes. Bake them on a lined tray at {t200} for 15 minutes, turning once, then add to the sauce. They will be less golden.
Why are my koftas falling apart?
The mixture was too wet or too coarse. Squeeze excess water from the fish, chop it finer and add another spoonful of gram flour.
More made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Mushroom Bhuna with Peppers
DFEFNFBeef Ularthiyathu (Kerala Dry Fried Beef with Coconut)
GFDFEFSabzi Kofta Curry (Vegetable Dumpling Curry)
GFDFEFSausage Curry (Classic British Kitchen Curry)
NFSee every dish made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.