Like much of the food from the northern reaches of India (these are actually Kashmiri in origin), these fruit-stuffed meatballs have an exotic air about them. Serve with pilaf or one of the Indian breads on pages 559–565. Other meat you can use here: ground veal, pork, or beef.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

　　1/2 teaspoon ground fennel

　　1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne

　　16 small pitted prunes or apricots or 8 large, cut in half

　　2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　1 tablespoon Fragrant Curry Powder (page 593), Garam Masala (page 594), or any mild, good-quality curry powder, or to taste

　　2 cups yogurt

　　Chopped fresh mint leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Mix the lamb with salt, pepper, fennel, ginger, and cayenne. Shape into 16 meatballs and stuff each with a prune or an apricot. Add the meatballs to the boiling water and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the meatballs are firm, then remove with a slotted spoon.

　　

Step 2

Put the oil in a deep skillet or flameproof casserole over medium heat. A minute later, stir in the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the yogurtand about 1/2 cup water—enough to thin the yogurt. Add the meatballs, cover, and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers. Cook for about 15 minutes more, or until the meatballs are cooked through.

　　

Step 3

Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.