Korma Inspired Turkey Meatballs with Farmer's Cheese.

What do you get when you get when you mix Indian with Italian and add in a little ooey gooey twist?

You get stuffed meatballs!

So simple and yet so good! I love Kormas, any kind, be it traditional or UK versions. I love them but I wanted a healthier version and simpler version. I had all the staples for this in my kitchen, and the prep time was really easy.

This is where you are going to hate me, I NEVER measure my spices. Ever. So I am going to give you an estimate, close to. It should still be ok, I wouldn't go over the recommend amount though, then the spices might over power the turkey.

By frying these before you finish them in the oven you get a really moist and tender turkey meatball.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground turkey
1 small yellow onion
1 clove of garlic
1 small package of a good firm Farmer's Cheese
Parmesan cheese
Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon of curry powder
1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon or less of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of dried basil (I finely crush with my finger before adding.)
1 teaspoon of dried parsley (I finely crush with my finger before adding.)
Dash of black pepper
3 tablespoons of ketchup
1 tablespoon of mustard
1/8 cup of milk (I used heavy whipping cream)
Vegetable oil for frying.

Directions:

1- Using the smallest grate on a grater, grate up little less then half of the onion and clove of garlic.

2- In a bowl place in the turkey, curry, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, grated onion and garlic. Add in the ketchup and mustard.

3- Using your hands, mix until everything is well incorporated and cover bowl and place in fridge for up to an hour to let the turkey absorb the flavors.

4- After an hour, crack one egg and mix in with your hands.

5- Add in 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and start with 1/4 cup of bread crumbs until your turkey mixture feels like it did before you added the egg. Then see if you can roll a ball, if it is sticking to you hands too much, add in more bread crumbs. Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.

6- Take your farmers cheese and cut into cubes about 1/2 or smaller. Set aside.

7- In a small bowl mix your last egg and milk until combined.

8- In another medium bowl mix in equal parts parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

9- In a medium sauce pan, add in about an inch of vegetable oil, place on medium heat. Meanwhile, turn your oven to 450 degrees.

10- Pull your turkey mixture out of the fridge and start shaping a small amount of turkey into a bowl (indent) where you will place the cheese into, I try to keep it smaller then my palm but no smaller or you will have problems with the cheese escaping when you are cooking. Repeat until all the balls are made.

*VERY IMPORTANT TIP*
You MUST roll the meatballs until all visible creases are gone. If you don't your cheese is going to melt and escape while cooking.

11- Then take the meat balls roll in egg mixture and then coat into the bread mixture. Set aside.

12- To make sure your oil is hot enough take a little bread crumbs and drop it into your oil. If it rises to the top right away then it's hot enough to cook your meat balls. Slowly drop one meat ball in at a time. After about twenty seconds add in another. I would do no more then four at a time. Make sure your oil doesn't cover your meat balls!


Cook until one side is golden brown and then flip and continue cooking until the other side is brown which will take two to three minutes. Remove and set aside to allow the oil to drain. Place in the pan that you are going to use to finish cooking them in the oven.


Once all your meat balls are fried and drained, place them into the oven and cook JUST until the cheese starts to bubble out of the meat balls.

This would pair well with noodles and a pepper pasta sauce. It now has become a hit with my picky eaters! Not to mention it's in high demand with my friends and family!

Enjoy!