Goan-Style Meat Patties in Coconut Curry
By Nik SharmaPublished on September 18, 2025
Time
1¼ hours plus 20 minutes sitting
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Meat Patties
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef 2 teaspoons table salt 2 teaspoons plus ¾ cup water, divided½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup plain instant mashed potato flakes 1 large egg, lightly beaten1 tablespoon malt vinegar 2 shallots, chopped fine¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 4 garlic cloves, minced2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon pepperCoconut Curry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 shallots, chopped fine¼ teaspoon table salt 15–20 fresh curry leaves 2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 cup canned coconut milk 2 tablespoons malt vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantroBefore You Begin
Serve with rice or flatbread.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat to 400 degrees. Spray 2 rimmed baking sheets with vegetable oil spray. Toss 2 pounds ground beef, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons water, and ½ teaspoon baking soda together in bowl until thoroughly combined. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Combine ¾ cup potato flakes, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and remaining ¾ cup water in small bowl, stirring until smooth. Add mixture to meat along with 2 chopped shallots, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons mint, 4 garlic cloves, 2 Thai chiles, 2 teaspoons ginger, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix with hands until well combined. Working with 2 tablespoons at a time, shape into 2-inch patties (about 32 total). Arrange on sheets.
- Roast until bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway. Transfer sheets to wire racks and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 chopped shallots and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in 15–20 curry leaves, 2 Thai chiles, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and ½ teaspoon turmeric; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Gently stir in cooked patties; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve.
for the meat patties
for the coconut curry
Time
1¼ hours plus 20 minutes sittingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Meat Patties
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons plus ¾ cup water, divided
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup plain instant mashed potato flakes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pepper
Coconut Curry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ teaspoon table salt
15–20 fresh curry leaves
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Ingredients
Meat Patties
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons plus ¾ cup water, divided
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup plain instant mashed potato flakes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pepper
Coconut Curry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ teaspoon table salt
15–20 fresh curry leaves
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Ingredients
Meat Patties
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons plus ¾ cup water, divided
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup plain instant mashed potato flakes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pepper
Coconut Curry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ teaspoon table salt
15–20 fresh curry leaves
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Why This Recipe Works
These boldly flavored ground beef patties are a culinary legacy of the Portuguese, who ruled the tiny state of Goa on the Indian subcontinent’s southwestern coast for hundreds of years. The patties are sometimes eaten on their own, but we simmered ours in a rich tomatoey coconut curry. To ensure a lush, tender texture, the ground beef is often mixed with leftover mashed potatoes, which hold onto moisture and prevent the meat proteins from binding together too tightly and producing dense results. As a shortcut, we used instant mashed potatoes. And instead of pan-frying the patties, we roasted them, which allowed us to brown them all in one go. A splash of malt vinegar added to both the meat patties and curry mimicked the signature tang that toddy vinegar (produced from palm trees) brings to much of Goan cooking.
Before You Begin
Serve with rice or flatbread.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat to 400 degrees. Spray 2 rimmed baking sheets with vegetable oil spray. Toss 2 pounds ground beef, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons water, and ½ teaspoon baking soda together in bowl until thoroughly combined. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Combine ¾ cup potato flakes, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and remaining ¾ cup water in small bowl, stirring until smooth. Add mixture to meat along with 2 chopped shallots, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons mint, 4 garlic cloves, 2 Thai chiles, 2 teaspoons ginger, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix with hands until well combined. Working with 2 tablespoons at a time, shape into 2-inch patties (about 32 total). Arrange on sheets.
- Roast until bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway. Transfer sheets to wire racks and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 chopped shallots and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in 15–20 curry leaves, 2 Thai chiles, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon garam masala, and ½ teaspoon turmeric; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Gently stir in cooked patties; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve.
for the meat patties
for the coconut curry
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