Vegetable Kofta Curry

One of my resolutions this year was to have a salad with each meal or maybe even replace a meal with salads. I am super proud that I have managed to stick to this one for so long. Even the other meals have been really basic and simple and I have not really cooked anything to post about, even if I did I was too lazy to take pictures. A couple of weeks back, we visited some friends and I had the best homemade Malai Kofta Curry. The flavors were amazing, the gravy was really rich and creamy, like the kind we get in restaurants.

I love koftas and by next week I was really craving for some more. I made some last weekend but I did skip the cream and nuts in the gravy and kept it really simple and light. If you are looking for something rich then maybe you can stir in some cream and simmer for a few minutes. The koftas can be fried in advance but insert them in the hot gravy just before serving, they do soak up and become really soft.

Vegetable Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

For the koftas:

1 big potato (about 200 gms), boiled, drained and mashed
150 gms fresh paneer, crumbled
1 carrot, grated fine
3 green chilies, finely chopped
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tbs cornflour
small handful cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

For the gravy:

1 tbs oil

1 medium onion

1 tbs ginger garlic paste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chili powder or to taste

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

2 tomatoes

1 tbs kasoori methi

salt to taste

dash of lemon juice

Method:

For the koftas:

Mix all the ingredients together and blend them really well using your fingers until it comes together like a ball of dough. Take small portions and shape them into round or oval koftas.

Heat oil and deep fry until brown. 

Drain and keep aside.

For the gravy:

Heat oil and fry the onions until golden. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell is gone.

Add the dry spices and stir for a few seconds. Remove from heat and blend the onion mixture with the tomatoes to a puree.
Return the puree to the pan on medium high heat until the tomato mixture is done and the oil separates. Add  kasoori methi and salt and enough water to adjust the gravy consistency,. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Before serving warm up the gravy and insert the koftas gently into the gravy. Do not stir or the koftas will get mashed.

T&T: Paneer with Tomatoes, Mushrooms & Chickpeas

This month it's Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen on the spotlight for T&T and my, what a collection! She has a lot of dishes I would love to try. This veg medley is something that caught my eye, I love all the ingredients and most importantly I had everything that was needed to make this.

The dish was really simple to make, what was different was the prominent taste of kasoori methi, which I don't use much and we loved it. Find the original recipe here. I made a few minor changes to the recipe. Just added some onions and ginger garlic paste. I cut the paneer into small pieces instead of shredding it and I also made it completely dry. A wonderful dish, Thanks Lisa.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

200gms spinach

4-5green chillies

handful of coriander leaves

few mint leaves

1tbs oil

1tsp cumin seeds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3big cloves of garlic

2tsp cumin powder

1tsp kasoori methi

1tsp coriander powder

1/4tsp turmeric  powder

4tbs yogurt

1/4cup water

salt to taste

150-200gms paneer

Method:

Cut the paneer into cubes and soak in warm water. 

Wash the spinach and place in a microwave safe bowl. Micro on high for 1-2mins to blanch the spinach. Cool and blend to a smooth paste with the green chillies, coriander leaves, mint leaves and yogurt.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds till they crackle. Add onions and fry till golden. 

Add the garlic and fry for 1min. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder andkasoori methi and fry for 30secs.

Then add the spinach paste, salt and 1/4cup water and cook for 5mins till the raw smell disappears.

Drain the paneer and add to the gravy. Cover and cook on low heat for 5mins.

Serve hot with chappatis or rice.

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Sending this to RCI-Lucknow Cuisine event hosted by Lavi. The event was started by Lakshmi.

Paneer-Capsicum-Mushroom Subzi

I love the combination of paneer, capsicum and mushrooms. This is a dish I make often especially when I have vegetarian guests over for a meal. Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

100gms paneer

100gms capsicum

200gms mushroom, quartered

50gms sweet corn kernels

1 medium onion, sliced

1tbs ginger-garlic paste
1 big tomato

1tsp chilli powder or to taste

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1tsp coriander powder

3/4tsp garam masala

2tbs yogurt mixed with 1/4cup water

salt to taste

2tbs oil

chopped fresh ginger for garnish

Method:

Heat 1tbs oil and shallow fry the paneer till golden. Drain and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same pan and saute the onions till brown.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.

Add the masalas and fry for a min. Add the capsicum, mushrooms, corn, the yogurt mixture and salt. Mix well.

When it starts bubbling cover and cook for 5mins till the mushrooms are cooked. There will be some gravy at this point.

Uncover and add the paneer and cook on medium flame till the gravy has evaporated and the masala coats the paneer and other vegetables.

Garnish with chopped ginger and serve hot.

Paneer Matar

When we were kids I remember waiting for all those special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries when my parents would take us out dining. For me eating out means having non-vegetarian food and I would not accept anything else. The problem is that my father is a vegetarian and the smells and sights of all the meat and fish would sometimes become unbearable to him. I remember when mom used to cook fish he used to say, "What is that stench?" and I would always reply, 'Don't you mean scent?" and we always had a good laugh.

Anyways it was only for dads birthday that I would compromise and agree to go for a vegetarian meal. There too the one dish I had to have was Paneer Matar. Even now after so many years I'm just as crazy about it and make it quite frequently.

This is a very simple recipe and has no cream or anything so there is no reason to feel guilty after having it.....I love to make it for potlucks or when I'm having guests.

Ingredients:

250gms paneer (cottage cheese)

2tbs oil

1big onion, very finely chopped

2big tomatoes (pureed)

1tbs ginger-garlic paste

1tsp garam masala powder

1/4tsp black pepper powder

1/4tsp turmeric powder

red chilli powder to taste

2tbs yoghurt

1cup water or according to required consistency

salt to taste

150gms peas( fresh or frozen )

handful of coriander leaves

Method:

Cut the paneer into 1"cubes. Heat 1tbs oil in a pan and shallow fry the paneer till all the sides have browned, taking care to avoid burning. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil and fry the onions till brown.

Add the tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and cook till the oil separates.

Add all the masalas and fry for a minute.

Mix in the curd and cook till well blended. At this point the mixture should be thick and almost paste like.

Add water and salt, when it comes to a boil add the peas. Lower the heat, cover and let it simmer till the peas are cooked, about 5mins.

Mix in the paneer and coriander leaves, cover and cook for 2-3mins.

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Sending this to the event "Click-February-2009-Cheese/ Tofu" hosted by Jugalbandi.