Rista
The red counterpart to gushtaba in the Wazwan — the same hand-pounded minced lamb kofte, but smaller and cooked in a vivid Kashmiri red chilli gravy rather than white yoghurt. Rista and gushtaba are served at opposite ends of the feast: rista arrives in the middle courses, gushtaba signals the meal's end. The kofte's springy, dense texture contrasts with the sharp, oily red sauce.
Cuisines
Kashmiri
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 70 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 500 grams | mutton mince |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 1 cup | onion paste |
| 1 tablespoon | ginger-garlic paste |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | fennel powder |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin powder |
| 1 teaspoon | cardamom powder |
| 1 teaspoon | garam masala |
| 1 teaspoon | salt |
| 1 cup | yogurt |
| 2 cups | water |
| 2 tablespoons | mustard oil |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 4 | cloves |
| 2 | black cardamoms |
| 1 stick | cinnamon |
Instructions
- 1 In a large bowl, mix the mutton mince with salt, red chili powder, and cardamom powder. Knead the mixture well to make it smooth.
- 2 Form the mixture into small, smooth balls and set aside.
- 3 Heat ghee in a deep pan and add bay leaves, cloves, black cardamoms, and cinnamon stick. Sauté until fragrant.
- 4 Add onion paste and ginger-garlic paste to the pan. Cook until the paste turns golden brown.
- 5 Stir in the fennel powder, cumin powder, and garam masala. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- 6 Add the yogurt to the pan, stirring continuously to avoid curdling.
- 7 Pour in water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 8 Gently add the mutton balls to the boiling gravy. Cover and cook on low heat for about 20-25 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- 9 Finish by drizzling mustard oil over the top and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Tips
Ensure the mutton mince is finely ground for smooth meatballs. Adjust spices according to taste.