Indian Turkey Meatballs (or Burgers, or Breakfast Patties)

Ground turkey always seems like a good idea — it’s lean, nutritious and economical, a virtuous substitute for beef, pork and (gasp) veal in dishes like hamburgers and meatballs.  I can never get very excited about actually eating it, though.  In my hands at least, the turkey version of the meat dish usually ends up tasting like a paler, drier imitation of the real thing.

Until now.  This recipe makes a meat patty that’s light, moist and full of flavor.  It’s modestly spiced, but the ginger, green chiles and cilantro give its flavor a freshness that I love.  The first time I made these meatballs, David and I had second helpings at dinner, and then the three of us polished off the rest with eggs the following morning.  It’s now in heavy rotation at our house for both meals and as a cocktail snack.  The recipe is simple, but there’s a bit of tedious grating and chopping at the beginning that will take 15 minutes or so.  It’s well worth it, though, to transform humble ground turkey into something extraordinarily delicious.

Recipe

(Serves four.  Adapted from Indian Turkey Kebabs in Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey.)

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (I like to use at least half dark meat.)

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped medium

1/2 medium tomato, chopped medium

1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated finely

2-3 hot green chiles (such as serranos or jalapenos), seeds and ribs removed, chopped finely

1/2 cup packed chopped cilantro

About 8 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seed

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 – 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

salt

lemon wedges

1.  Put the turkey, onion, cilantro, tomato, chiles, spices and about 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs into a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.

2.  Form into balls of desired size — little cocktail bites, golf ball sized meatballs or tangerine sized balls for burgers.  Roll them in the remaining breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly and gently flatten them.

3.  Warm a film of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the patties for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re golden and crisp on the outside and cooked through.  For larger patties, you’ll need to do this twice.

Serve warm as a cocktail snack, with eggs for breakfast, with a salad and pita or Indian naan for lunch, or on a hamburger bun with lettuce and tomato.  The meatballs also refrigerate and freeze well and can be reheated on a baking sheet in a 350F oven.