onions or large onions or cups roughly chopped onions :
180 grams
green chilli :
1 -
garlic or to medium size garlic cloves or chopped garlic :
5 tablespoon
ginger or ginger or roughly chopped ginger :
5 tablespoon
for tomato puree :
-
tomatoes or large tomato or tightly packed chopped tomatoes :
125 cup
For making vegetable kofta
carrot or small to medium carrot :
70 grams
capsicum or medium sized capsicum (bell pepper) :
85 grams
potato or small to medium potato :
75 grams
cauliflower or cups chopped cauliflower florets :
115 grams
green peas :
1/3 cup
grated processed cheese – (optional) :
1/4 cup
kashmiri red chili powder :
1/4 teaspoon
Coriander Powder :
1/4 teaspoon
Garam Masala :
1/4 teaspoon
black pepper powder :
1/4 teaspoon
besan or add as :
1/2 required
salt as :
-
oil for deep frying, as :
-
Ingredients for vegetable kofta curry
tablespoons oil or ghee :
3 -
tej patta (indian bay leaf) :
1 -
cinnamon (dalchini) :
1 inch
green cardamoms :
2 -
black cardamom :
1 -
single strands of mace (javitri) :
2 -
turmeric powder :
1/4 teaspoon
kashmiri red chilli powder or regular red chili powder :
1/2 teaspoon
tablespoons Curd (yogurt) :
3 -
cups water or add as :
1.5 required
Garam Masala :
1/4 teaspoon
crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) :
1/4 teaspoon
tablespoons low fat cream – 25% to 35% fat :
2 -
chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta) :
1 tablespoon
salt as :
-
Garnish
some chopped coriander leaves :
-
low fat cream :
1 tablespoon
to tablespoons Paneer or cheese, grated :
1 -
Steps
Making mixed vegetable kofta mixture
Step 1 :
Firstly either grate or mince veggies in a food processor or a food chopper or with a grater.
Step 2 :
Make a coarse mince of the veggies. I have used raw green peas and minced it along with the other veggies. If you do not have a food processor or chopper, then boil or steam peas, potatoes and cauliflower separately. Drain of all the water. Then mash very well and add to finely chopped capsicum.
Step 3 :
If using vegetables with high water content like bottle gourd (lauki), cabbage, zucchini or pumpkin etc, then add some salt in the grated veggies. Mix very well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Then squeeze the excess water. Keep this water and add later to the gravy.
Step 4 :
Take the veggie mixture in a bowl.
Step 5 :
Add ¼ cup grated cheese or paneer. You can use cheddar cheese or processed cheese. You can also skip adding cheese or paneer.
Step 6 :
Then add ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, ½ cup besan and salt as per taste.
Step 7 :
Mix very well. If the mixture appears too light and watery, then add some more besan. Check the taste and add more spices and salt if required.
Step 8 :
Make small to medium sized balls from this veggie mixture. If you are not able to shape into balls, then add some water and make a pakora batter consistency. Then fry them like the way pakoras are fried.
Frying vegetable kofta
Step 1 :
Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. Add a small tiny piece of the veggie ball and see if it breaks in oil or not. If it breaks or bursts in oil, then add more besan. The amount of besan to be added depends on the moisture content in the veggies.
Step 2 :
If the veggie ball does not break, then you can easily start frying the kofta. Keep the flame to medium and gently slid the veggie kofta balls in the hot oil. Add as much depending on the size and capacity of the kadai or pan. Do not over crowd.
Step 3 :
Turn only when one side is golden or else they can break.
Step 4 :
Turn over a couple of times for even frying. Fry till they are crisp and golden.
Step 5 :
Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on kitchen paper towels. Keep aside.
Preparing cashew paste
Step 1 :
In a food processor or chopper or blender/grinder jar, take 12 cashews (kaju). Add 3 tablespoons water and grind to a smooth paste. Remove cashew paste and keep aside.
Preparing onion paste
Step 1 :
In the same processor or chopper or grinder, take 1.3 cups roughly chopped onions, 1 green chilli (chopped), ½ tablespoon roughly chopped garlic and ½ tablespoon roughly chopped ginger.
Step 2 :
Without adding any water, grind to a semi fine or a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Step 3 :
preparing tomato puree
Step 4 :
In the same processor or chopper or grinder, take 1 cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.
Step 5 :
Without adding any water, grind to a semi fine or a smooth puree. Remove and keep aside.
Making veg kofta curry
Step 1 :
Heat 3 tablespoons oil or ghee in a pan or thick bottomed kadai. Add 1 tej patta, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom and 2 single strands of mace. Sauté for a few seconds till the spices splutter.
Step 2 :
Then add the onion paste.
Step 3 :
Mix and begin to sauté the onion paste on a low to medium flame stirring often.
Step 4 :
Sautéing onion paste takes a lot of time, so add a pinch of salt to quicken the cooking process.
Step 5 :
Sauté till the onion paste turns golden.
Step 6 :
Then add the tomato puree and mix very well.
Step 7 :
Next add the cashew paste.
Step 8 :
Mix again and sauté this masala for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame stirring often.
Step 9 :
Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or ¼ teaspoon regular red chili powder. Mix very well.
Step 10 :
Keep the flame to a low and then add 3 tablespoons fresh curd or yogurt.
Step 11 :
Stir briskly and quickly while you are adding the fresh curd. Mix very well.
Step 12 :
Now sauté this masala, till you see oil or ghee releasing from the sides. The whole masala will reduce and you can easily see oil releasing from the masala.
Step 13 :
Now add 1.5 cups water or add as required. For a thicker gravy, you can add 1 to 1.25 cups water.
Step 14 :
Season with salt.
Step 15 :
Bring the gravy to a simmer on low to medium flame for 6 to 7 minutes. Once the gravy is done, it will be reduced slightly and you will see specks of oil floating on top.
Step 16 :
Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon kasuri methi (crushed) and 2 tablespoons low fat cream. Mix very well. Cream is optional and can be skipped.
Step 17 :
Switch off the flame and add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Mix again. Do not add veggie koftas in the hot curry as they break.
