Creamy Kofta

Quick take- Fry up 1 sliced brown onion for 3-5mins, add 1 tsp of chopped garlic, fresh grated ginger, 2 cloves, 3 cardamom seeds, 3 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon quill, 2 tsp of coriander, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp chilli flakes, allow to fry for 40sec. Add 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped red capsicum and 1/2 lemon juiced. Allow to cook on medium. Add 1tsp of veg stock, and 1 cup of water. 2tsp of soy sauce for saltiness. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup soaked cashews. Allow to cook on med low for 15mins stirring occasionally. Put in oven on 150 for 60 – 90 mins

For the kofta curry balls….Boil 4 large potatoes, and mash with vegan butter. Add handful of soaked cashews, and small handful of dried fruit, 2tsp of tapioca flour. Mix well. Make small little balls or flat cakes and fry up. I make white basmati rice to go with it. and put fresh coriander on top.

Veganized from http://www.spiceupthecurry.com/malai-kofta-recipe/

 

Creamy or “Malai” Kofta is a traditional Indian dish.  This is modified from the vegan recipe in the awesome cookbook “Isa Does It.”  I highly recommend her cookbook for lots of good looking recipes.

 

Notes, the Kofta Ball mix can be made hours or even a day before to save time.  The sauce is very simple to make and if the Kofta mix is already to go, the entire dinner could be made in 30 minutes.

Serves 4 with some leftover sauce.

 

Ingredients:

Kofta Balls

  • 1/2 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup of slivered almonds
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (or use 1 tsp cumin)
  • 1 and 1/2 medium zucchini, shredded
  • 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tbls minced or grated ginger
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 and 1/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs

Sauce

  • 1 cup of raw cashews, soaked overnight or for at least 2 hours (hot water speeds up the process)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbls coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbls ginger, minced or grated
  • 1 Tbls curry powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala spice
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 3 Tbls tomato paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup of frozen (or canned) peas

And

  • Rice
  • Oil
  • More chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Kofta Balls

Hopefully you already soaked the cashews.  If not, use boiling hot water and speed up the process.  The longer the soak, the creamier the sauce.

In a medium or large mixing bowl, pour in the garbanzo beans. Mash the beans with a potato masher until they are mushy.  They do not need to be totally mashed into a puree.

In a medium or large cast iron frying pan, toast the almonds (no oil) for 7 minutes, tossing frequently until golden.  Put almonds in the bowl with the mashed beans.

If using cumin seeds, toast them in the same skillet for around 3 minutes until fragrant.  Put cumin seeds (or ground cumin) into the bowl.

Grate the zucchini using a large cheese grater to get a pile of short strands.  Add to the bowl.

Add cilantro, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix well.   Add Panko and mix with your hands.  Cover with wrap or a plate and set in the refrigerator to allow the mix to set for at least 30 minutes.

Sauce

Drain the soaked cashews and put in a blender along with the 2 cups of vegetable broth.  Blend until smooth. If needed, scrape the sides with a rubber spatula.

In a sauce pan, add the coconut oil.  Saute the diced onion for about 3-4 minutes until softened.  Add garlic and ginger and stir.  Add in curry, garam masala, and cumin powder and stir and allow the spices to cook for a minute.

Add in coconut milk, tomato paste, blended cashew mix, and salt.  Bring to a low simmer and let cook for 15 minutes.  The sauce will thicken up.  Add in peas and warm them up.   Taste and see if it needs more seasonings.  Cover.

Making the Kofta Balls

Preheat the cast iron pan.  Add in some oil (does not need to be deep).

Take out about 1/4 cup of the Kofta mix and form it into a football shape.  Repeat.  You should end up with about 12 balls.

Add in the Kofta balls to the hot pan and roll them to evenly cook all sides.  You want most of the outside browned, which is about 7 minutes.

You can either place the Kofta balls on rice and spoon the sauce over it, or place your balls into the sauce.  Garnish with chopped cilantro and maybe some more almonds.  Serve with a side of sauted zucchini (you should have an extra 1/2!) mixed with garbanzo beans (you should have a 1/2 can!).  I like to saute the zucchini  and garbanzo beans with sliced yellow squash, onions, garlic and some salt and pepper.