Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – Instant Pot Meatballs
Make this easy Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – Instant Pot Meatballs recipe for weeknight dinners. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients and your dependable instant pot does the rest.
This is my mom’s traditional ground chicken meatballs recipe; also known as mutsch in Kashmiri. It can be made with turkey as well. The recipe starts out with mixing ground meat and spices, which are then simmered away in sauce until tender and moist. I attempted making this in the instant pot and it turned out perfect.
What ingredients to I need to make the Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – Instant Pot Meatballs?
Ground chicken, asafoetida, ground ginger, ground fennel, kashmiri chili powder, oil, salt, garam masala, ground cumin, cumin seeds, black cardamom pods, cloves, ghee, yogurt, and water.
Of Course an Instant Pot.
For the meatballs – in the Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – Instant Pot Chicken Meatballs recipe:
First, In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients listed under meatballs until just combined.
Secondly, scoop the meat from the bowl and form into 1 and a half inch to 2-inch balls.
For the curry – in the Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – Instant Pot Chicken Meatballs:
First, select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Then, add oil to the pot.
Furthermore, when the oil is hot add in cumin seeds, black cardamom pods, and cloves.
Consequently, when the cumin seeds splutter add asafoetida and stir. In addition, add 2 teaspoons kashmiri chili powder coupled with 1/4 cup water. Give it a good stir. Next, add 1 tbsp ground fennel, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garam masala, and ½ tsp salt. Again, give it a good stir.
Then add the yogurt at room temperature and let it saute for about 30 seconds. Again, keep stirring.
Add 1 cup water. Give it a good stir. Add meatballs in the liquid.
And, press cancel. Close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 8 minutes. Finally, when done quick release the pressure and open the lid right away. If you like it to be less soupy you can select sauté and bring it to the desired consistency.
Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.
Moreover, try some of our other recipes:
Instant Pot Kashmiri Chicken Yakhni
Instant Pot Kashmiri Chicken Aloo

Kashmiri Chicken Kofta Curry – Instant Pot Meatballs
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (sonth powder)
- 1 tsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tbsp oil of choice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
For the curry/sauce
- 1/3 cup oil of choice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 whole black cardamom pods (kali elaichi)
- 4 cloves (laung)
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
- 2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1 and 1/4 cup water (divided)
- 1 tbsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
- 1 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup yogurt plain at room temperature (either low fat or whole)
Instructions
Prep
- For the meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients listed under meatballs until just combined. Scoop the meat from the bowl and form into 1 and a half inch to 2-inch balls.
- Make sure the yogurt is at room temperature and whisk it well with a spoon.
Cook
- Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Next, add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add cumin seeds, black cardamom pods, and cloves.
- When the cumin seeds splutter add asafoetida and stir. In addition, add 2 teaspoons kashmiri chili powder coupled with 1/4 cup water. Give it a good stir. Next, add 1 tbsp ground fennel, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garam masala, and ½ tsp salt. Again, give it a good stir.
- Then add 1/4 cup yogurt at room temperature and let it saute for about 30 seconds. Keep stirring.
- Add 1 cup water. Give it a good stir. Add meatballs in the liquid. And, press cancel. Close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 8 minutes. Finally, when done quick release the pressure and open the lid right away. If you like it to be less soupy you can select sauté and bring it to the desired consistency.