Hard-boiled eggs wrapped in ground lamb meat, or keema, and cooked in rich gravy, make for the perfect kofta, a delicacy of Awadhi cuisine. Nargisi kofta is a dish native to Persia and chefs prefer eggs to give kofta balls the perfect shape. The gravy is made using tomato puree, dry fruit paste and onions. The ground meat is flavoured with a blend of spices, so when the gravy and koftas come together, they create a medley of unforgettable flavours. 

It is especially favoured during the festival of Ramazan, but is prepared for other special occasions throughout the year. It is essentially a snack, but can also be eaten with plain rice, pulao or biryani. Nargisi koftas resemble a flower named Narcissus, which is a winter flower grown in India. The flower has a yellow centre as does the cooked yolk of the dish. 

While Nargisi kofta is typically a meat dish, these days, a vegetarian variant is also making rounds in the restaurants of Lucknow. This calls for a stuffing of boiled eggs wrapped in ground vegetables.