Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: A whole different ball game

The kofta varies in name, taste and texture across continents. It’s time India acknowledged its own contribution to the multiverse of meatballs

Last week, I spent three successive days in three different cities: Naples, Istanbul and Delhi. All three cities have distinctive and justly famous cuisines. But there was one dish that all three had in common. And yes, it is a dish we know well in India and one we can make at home.

There are meatball dishes all over the world, such as the polpette in Italy. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Nargisi koftas, which inspired the UK’s Scotch Eggs, are rarely available in restaurants today. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

The dish Lion’s Head dumplings is China’s version of the meatball. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

In Turkey and Iran, koftas appear in the form of dry kababs. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Indians began cooking koftas in gravy, leading to the popular paneer kofta. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

Britishers are reluctant to acknowledge the Scotch Eggs’ Indian origins.