Phaldari Kofta aur Ananas Ki Tarri ( Plantain Koftas with Pineapple Gravy)

Fresh on the success of my watermelon curry and having fresh and juicy pineapples staring at me from the grocery aisles, it was only a matter of time that it found its way into some delicious item on my dining table. Fortunately, there were quite a few curry recipes made from Pineapple that I found on the internet, and some of them were from India - Southern part of India. This was strange since I assumed that I would end up finding some from the North-East part of India, where it is abundantly grown but did not find any from that part. The koftas on the other hand were my tried and tasted Plantain koftas. Plantains (Raw Bananas), unknown to many make for an amazing cooking ingredient. They are cooked and treated the same way as potatoes and are very popular in tropical regions across the world. 

Phaldari Kofta aur Ananas Ki Tarri ( Plantain Koftas with Pineapple Gravy)


Ingredients:


For the Koftas:
Plantains, boiled & mashed - 2
Cheese, grated - 3 Tblsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 Tsp
Amchur Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Flour - To coat


For the Curry:
Onion, sliced - 1 Cup
Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - A Pinch
Curry Leaves - 3-4
Pineapple - 4 roundels
Coconut, frsh & grated - 3 Tblsp (30 gms)
Cloves - 6
Cinnamon Stick - 1 (1 Inch)
Green Cardamom - 2
Ginger, chopped - 1 Tblsp
Red Chilies, dried - 5
Turmeric Powder (Haldi) - 1/4 Tsp
Jaggery - 2 tsp (You can substitute this with honey if you like)
Salt To Taste
Oil - 3 Tblsp
Coriander, finely chopped - To garnish


Method:


For the Koftas:
1. Mix all the kofta ingredients with the plantains (Except the flour) well.
3. Divide into equal portions and form round balls.
4. Coat with flour and deep fry in hot oil till they turn golden brown.
5. Drain and keep aside.

For the Curry:
1. Make a paste of grated coconut, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom and red chilies. Add in a tsp. of water if required while making the paste. Keep aside for use later.
2. Heat oil in a wok, and add in mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and hing. Add in the sliced onions.
3. Mix well and cook till onions turn translucent.  
4. Add in the coconut paste. Mix well and cook till the mixture starts to turn brown.
5. Add in 2 cups of water and stir to mix. Add in jaggery and turmeric.
6. Add in the pineapple pieces and cover and cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes or till pineapple pieces turn soft and mashy.
7. Take off flame and cool. Process in a blender and pass through a strainer.
8. Transfer back to the wok and return to flame. Cook for 5 minutes and adjust seasoning.

To Serve:
1. Add in the koftas and serve garnished with chopped coriander.

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Khumb Hariyali Kofta

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My nice and relaxing vacations have come to end and it is back to business as usual. I miss the lazy mornings spent relaxing at home, doing nothing, plain nothing ...except of course thinking about what can I cook. This kofta is exactly one of those thoughts put into practice.

Khumb Hariyali Kofta

Ingredients:

For the koftas:
Spinach, :750 Gm
Paneer (Cottage Cheese), grated and mashed : 300 Gm
Mushrooms, washed, drained and chopped: 160 Gm
Cumin seeds:1 Tsp
Garlic,finely chopped: 6 cloves
Ginger, finely chopped: 2 Tsp
Green chillies, finely chopped: 2
Lemon Juice: 1 Tblsp
White Pepper Powder: 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder: 1 Tsp
Cornflour: 2 Tblsp
Salt: To Taste
Oil: 2 Tblsp
Butter: 1 Tblsp
Brown Sugar: 2 Tblsp
Oil: For frying the koftas

For the gravy:
Ghee: 3 Tblsp
Onion Paste: 4 Tblsp
Ginger Paste:4 Tsp
Garlic Paste: 4 Tsp
Tomato Puree: 2 Cups
Cashew nut paste: 3 Tblsp
Clove Powder: 1/4 Tsp
Cinnamon Powder: 1/8 Tsp
Mace Powder: 1/8 Tsp
Red Chili Powder: 1 Tsp
Green Cardamom Powder: 1/2 Tsp
Black Cardamom Powder: 1/8 Tsp
Kasoori Methi: 1 Tsp
Cream: 1/4 Cup
Salt: To Taste

Method:
For the koftas:
1. Heat Oil in a kadhai (wok). Add in the cumin seeds. As they start to crackle, add in the garlic. Saute till light golden.
2. Add in the spinach and stir fry till all moisture has evaporated. Remove off flame and cool.
3. Once cool, chop the spinach roughly.
4. Heat butter in a separate wok. Add in the lemon juice and sugar. Cook till a nice syruppy consistency is achieved.
5. Add in the mushrooms, ginger and green chillies. Cook till done.
6. Mix in this mushroom mixture with the spinach and add in all remaining ingredients. Mix well.
7. Divide into 12 equal portions. Make round balls and keep aside.
8. Heat oil for deep frying the koftas.
9. When oil is hot, add in the spinach-paneer-mushroom balls and deep fry over medium heat till light golden. Remove and drain excess oil on absorbent paper.

For Gravy:
10. Heat ghee in a pan. Add in the onion paste and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium flame.
11. Add in the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook till mixture starts to turn brown.
12. Add in the tomato puree, red chili powder and cashew nut paste. Stir to mix well. Cook for 5 more minutes.
13. Add in the clove, mace, green cardamom, black cardamom and cinnamon powders. Stir. Cook till gravy is slightly reduced and done.
14. Crush and add in the kasoori methi. Cook for another 2 minutes.
15. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning.
To Serve:
16. Arrange the koftas in individual plates on a bed of the tomato-cashew gravy. You can garnish with almond slivers.

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Paneer Moghlai Kofta in Paalak Gravy (Cottage Cheese Koftas in Spinach Garvy)

It has been a while since I cooked a real piece de resistance for the vegetarians and this one is one such beauty that has come about in quite some time. If there is one thing that catches my fancy in kitchens it has to be the Koftas. In the hands of experts, Koftas are transported to the highest levels of culinary display.
Koftas in traditional terms are minced balls made out of popularly lamb or beef. However, it is not uncommon to find Koftas of chicken mince and for the vegetarians, koftas made of paneer, bottle gourd, mashed potatoes etc. It is derived from the Persian word Kufta meaning "to beat" or "to grind", which in those days was meant to mince meat.
The name Kofta has many variations in different parts of the world. They go by the name of Kufteh in Iran, Cufta in Croatia, Kyufte in Bulgaria, Keftes in Greek cuisine and chiftea in Romania.

Paneer Moghlai Kofta in Paalak Gravy

Ingredients:

Kofta:
Paneer (Cottage Cheese or Ricotta), grated : 300 gm
Apricots, dried : 12
Almonds, Blanched : 12
Red Chili Powder : 1 Tsp
Amchoor (Dried Mango Powder) : 1/2 Tsp
Baking Powder : A Pinch
Salt
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Cornflour : 1/2 Cup
Oil : To Deep Fry Koftas

Gravy:
Spinach, washed and rinsed in running water : 1 Kg
Onions, finely chopped : 2
Garlic Paste : 3 Tblsp
Tomato Puree : 6 Tblsp
Red Chili Powder: 1 Tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 Tblsp
Kasoori Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves): 1 Tblsp
Ghee ( Clarified Butter) : 2 Tblsp
Salt: To Taste

Method:

Koftas:
1. Refresh the apricots in water for 5 minutes.
2. Slit from one side and remove the pits. Replace the pits with the blanched almonds. Keep aside.
3. Mix all other ingredients (except oil and stuffed apricots) for koftas. Knead well to form a dough.
4. Divide into 12 equal portions and make balls.
5. Flatten each ball using your palms, being careful not to break it.
6. Place a stuffed apricot in between and make a ball again.
Make 12 such balls.


7. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
8. Heat oil in a wok.
9. Deep fry the balls till golden brown. Drain excess oil and keep aside.

Gravy:
1. Boil spinach in water with salt. Drain and puree in a blender.
2. Heat ghee in a pan.
3. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
4. Add in the garlic paste. Saute till the onions start to turn golden brown.
5. Add in the masalas and saute for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the spinach puree and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add in the tomato puree and a cup of water.
8. Cook till it starts to take a gravy like consistency.
9. Adjust the seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes.


Assembling:
1. Add in the koftas to the simmering gravy.
2. Crush the kasoori methi and sprinkle on top.
3. Stir and remove from flame.
4. Serve hot.

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