Heat a medium sized pot to high heat and add oil and onions. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Then add the garlic and ginger and stir, cooking until fragrant, about one minute. Add the garam masala and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste and tomatoes as well as the sweetener. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 30 minutes. Add the cream and salt off heat and puree the sauce well with a blender (an immersion blender works wonderfully here). This can be made ahead and rewarmed the next day, though you will want to keep it from boiling.

While the sauce cooks, make the meatballs. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to mix until evenly combined. Form into about 1 tablespoon size meatballs, about 30 meatballs.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until golden, turning occasionally until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Do not clean the pan.

Serve the meatballs with the sauce and and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Note: You can also bake the meatballs in a 350ºF preheated oven. Simply line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and/or baking parchment, place ~2 tablespoon size meatballs on top, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. I like to broil them for about 4-5 minutes just to brown them before serving.