Kofta Curry

It was Sankashti Chaturthi today. It is a day to workship the Hindu god- Ganesha. I do not fast on this day unlike mum, but try to stick with eating vegetarian only. So, as soon as I received a phone call from my mum, the Salmon was back into the freezer!!

I had to know change my plan and try and cook something that would be enjoyed by all. I was bored of preparing yet another usual curry today! So, I thought lets cook something that I do not usually cook that often. And, Kofta curry was the first to hit the spot. Yes, it is a curry, but with a difference! It is creamy and has a bite to it in the form of a kofta. There is one thing that never changes here whatever be the situation and that is cooking and eating a lot of yummy food!

Let me quickly tell you what Kofta is, if you are already not familiar with the dish. You can just call Kofta an Indian vegetarian form of meatballs where potato dumplings (kofta) are fried and later cooked with a rich and creamy tomato sauce. You can definitely make it low fat without compromising on taste and that's what I have tried to do here with this recipe. So let's begin with how to make this wholesome Kofta curry.

 

Ingredients:

For the koftas

1 cup grated paneer

1 large boiled potato

1 tbsp corn flour

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

2 tbsp chaat masala

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tsp grated ginger

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

For the gravy

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tbsp chopped garlic

4 cloves

1 tsp cassia

1 cup semi skimmed milk

2 tbsp melon seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

Method:

For the kofta

Mix the boiled potato, grated paneer, grated ginger, chaat masala, corn flour, red chilli powder & salt. Combine well to make smooth dough.

Divide the mixture equally. Form small and round koftas.

Deep fry in batches. Drain on a tissue paper and keep them aside.

For the gravy

Heat a wide casserole pan. Add the oil. Next, add the cassia, cloves, ginger, garlic, chopped onions and sauté for 2 minutes until the onions turn translucent. Now, add the chopped tomatoes, melon seeds, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Pour the milk over and cook unopened for 10 minutes until the milk evaporates and the mixture is cooked.

Blend the mixture to make a fine puree.

Add it back to the pan. Add the garam masala, stir gently so as to avoid breaking the koftas. At this stage, add the koftas and cook till they are warmed though.

Enjoy with any bread of your choice or plain boiled rice.