Paneer-Palak Koftas(steamed)

If you are thinking about what is new about these koftas, well they are a healthier version of the fried koftas. These dumplings are steamed and not fried, unlike the other koftas. The all-time favourite combination of palak and paneer from the steamed dumplings and of course the usual tomato onion gravy works well with this. It's a quick recipe if you have all ingredients ready at hand. Let's get to the recipe right away.

PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                  COOK TIME: 40Mins

TOTAL TIME: 1 Hour                                  COURSE:  MAIN 

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                          SERVINGS: 4

                                                                    AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Palak/Spinach 1/2 a bunch or 2 cup fulls when chopped

Paneer 200 gm crumbled

Onion 2 medium, chopped

Tomatoes 2 large chopped

Cashewnuts 8 to 10

Melon seeds( optional) 1 tsp

Rice flour 1 cup

Besan roasted 1/2 cup

Cardamom/ Elaichi 2

Cloves/Laung 2

Peppercorns 4

Cinnamon stick a small piece

Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

Green chillies 4 ( 2 for koftas and 2 for gravy)

Ginger 1/2 an inch finely chopped

Cumin 1 tsp

Cumin powder 1 tsp

Coriander powder 2 tsp( 1 tsp for koftas and 1tsp for gravy)

Red chilli powder 2 tsp ( 1tsp for kofta and 1tsp for gravy)

Garam masala powder 2tsp( 1tsp for kofta and 1tsp for gravy)

Oil 2 tbsp

Directions for Koftas:

 Chop the palak fine and blanch( put it in hot water) it for 5 mins. Drain the water and rinse the palak with cold water( this is done to retain the colour and crispness). Dry roast the Gram flour/ Besan until it turns aromatic and light brown. Keep stirring continuously while roasting to avoid burning the besan. Now squeeze all the water from the palak and put it in a dish. Add the crumbled Paneer. Add the roasted besan and rice flour. Add in the chopped green chillies, ginger and all dry spices and salt. Combine all together and make it like a dough. Divide the mixture into 8 or 10 equal-sized balls(koftas). Put these balls in a steamer/idli cooker and steam for 10 mins. If using a microwave for steaming 4 minutes will do. Cool the koftas. 

Directions for Gravy:

 In a wok heat some oil. Add the whole masalas- cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves. When they turn aromatic, add the onion and ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and saute well. When the onions turn translucent add the cashew nuts, tomatoes, salt and cook until the tomatoes turn mushy. Put off the stove and cool the mixture. Once cooled, put it in a blender and make a fine paste. In the same wok heat more oil and add the cumin. Add in the ground paste. Stir well continuously for a few minutes so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the wok. Add all the dry masalas now, except garam masala. Pour about a cup of water to the paste and bring it to a boil, cook until it thickens a little, put off the stove. The gravy is ready. You can add little Kasoori Methi for flavour, but it is optional.

Pour the gravy over the koftas and its ready to serve. The Paneer Palak koftas go well with Parathas, Rotis, Pulav or with plain rice. Enjoy Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

 1. Assemble all ingredients.  

2. Blanch the chopped palak, cool, squeeze the water and set aside. Dry Roast the Besan until its light brown and aromatic. Stir constantly and don't allow to burn.

3. To the blanched and cooled palak add the paneer, green chillies, ginger, roasted Besan, Rice flour and all the dry spice powders, salt and combine well. Divide the mixture into 8 or 10 Koftas/balls. Steam them in an Idli steamer for 10 minutes. If steaming in a microwave then set on high for 4 minutes.

4. In a wok heat some oil. Add the whole masalas and fry until aromatic. Put in the onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and saute until onions turn transparent. Add the tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy. Cool and blend the mixture to a fine paste.

5. In the same wok pour oil and heat. Add the cumin seeds and pour in the ground paste. Stir continuously for few minutes so that the paste doesn't stick to the wok. Add all the dry spice powders now. Adda cup of water and allow it to boil until the oil separates on top. The gravy is ready.

6. Arrange the koftas in a serving dish and pour the gravy over it. Serve hot. 

NOTES:

1. Squeeze the water from the blanched palak thoroughly.

2. Roast the besan well, otherwise, the raw flavour will dampen the taste.

3. The gravy should not thicken too much, it should be neither too thick, nor too thin. If very thick, add some hot water and dilute.

4. Melon seeds used here are optional. The gravy will still taste the same if not added.

5. Adding a little Kasoori Mathi to the gravy after cooking, will give a nice flavour to the dish.

6. If you wish, you can drizzle a little cream over the dish while serving. This is totally optional.  

7. This dish can be made ahead and the koftas and gravy kept separate. Just before serving, warm up the gravy, pour over the koftas and serve.

8. For those who prefer soft koftas, allow the koftas to cook in the gravy for a minute. 

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. 

LAUKI KADDU KE KOFTE

LAUKI-KADDU KOFTA'S(BOTTLE GOURD AND PUMPKIN KOFTAS)

Usually, these Koftas are made individually as either Lauki Koftas or Pumpkin Koftas. In a moment of experimentation, I thought why not combine the two, and I don't regret the result at all. The sweetness of the Pumpkin was well balanced by the Lauki, and I must say it was an ideal wedding between the two.

Let's get to the recipe right away.

PREP TIME: 20 Mins                             COOK TIME: 15Mins

TOTAL TIME: 35 Mins                            COURSE:  MAIN 

CUISINE: North Indian                            SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients for Koftas                              AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Lauki( Bottle gourd) shredded 2 cups

Kaddu(Pumpkin) shredded 1 cup

Besan(Gram flour) 1/2 cup (You can add more Gram flour for tougher                                                       Koftas)

Coriander(dhania) powder 1.5 tsp

Turmeric powder 1tsp

Red chilli powder 1tsp

Salt as per taste

Green chillies 2 finely chopped

Ginger 1 inch piece finely chopped

Coriander leaves few sprigs finely chopped

Oil for frying Koftas

Ingredients for the gravy:

Onion 2 large chopped

Tomatoes 4 medium-sized chopped

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp

Green chillies 2 

Cashewnuts 8-10

Salt as per taste  

Red chilli powder 1.tsp

Coriander(dhania) powder 2 tsp

Fennel(saunf) powder

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Jeera/Cumin 1tsp

Elaichi/Cardamom 2-3 pods

Bay leaf(Tej patha) 1

Cloves 2

Garam Masala Powder 1/2 tsp 

Oil for deep frying Koftas

1 Tbsp oil for sauteing the onions and tomato

Cream 1 Tbsp(optional)  

Method for making Koftas:

Combine the grated Lauki and Pumpkin and add all the dry ingredients including the Besan. The moisture in the vegetables is enough for formating the Koftas. Try not to add any water. Heat oil in a Karahi and when hot, reduce the flame to medium and drop the batter with a spoon, or shape them with hand and drop it in oil carefully. Fry until golden brown and repeat the same for all the batter. Put the fried koftas on absorbent paper for the oil to blot. Set aside. 

Method for gravy: 

In a Karahi take 1 tbsp oil and heat it. Add all whole masalas one by one, fry for a minute and add onion and saute until a nice brown, add the Tomatoes, cashew nuts, and salt and saute further until the tomatoes turn mushy. 

Cool the onion-tomato mixture and grind it in a processor until smooth.

In the same Karahi add 1 Tbsp oil and heat, pour the paste when the oil is hot, and stir nicely. Add all the powdered spices and mix well. Cook until oil is released. Now add 1 cup water, adjust consistency, and let it boil. When it starts getting thick again, sprinkle the Garam masala and put off the stove and add the cream(this step is totally optional). To serve arrange the Koftas in a dish and pour the prepared gravy over it, decorate with finely chopped coriander leaves and enjoy with Rotis, Chapati, Naan, Phulkas.

Bon Appetite!

STEPWISE RECIPE FOR KOFTAS FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble ingredients.

2. To the grated Lauki and Kaddu add salt followed by all the spice powders mentioned in Kofta Ingredients.

Add the Besan/ Gram flour too and combine nicely. Don't add any water, the moisture in the vegetables will do.

       

3. Heat oil in a Karahi, shape the Koftas or drop them with a spoon carefully into the oil and fry them to a golden colour. 

 

4. Put them on an absorbent paper and keep aside.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOR GRAVY FOLLOWS.

1. Heat oil in a Karahi and add Jeera/ Cumin. As they splutter add the chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste. ( you can add the whole spices too in the oil if you don't want to chew on them while eating) . Add the 2 whole chillies too.

2. Saute well until the Onions start turning brown and add the chopped Tomatoes and Cashewnuts to this. Stir well and cook until Tomatoes break and turn mushy. Leave to cool.

Transfer to a blender and puree it.

3. Now take 1 Tbsp oil in a karahi and add the Jeera and whole spices mentioned in Gravy preparation.

( please don't add again if you had while sauteing the Onion tomato mixture). Once they turn aromatic put in the onion-tomato puree and stir well. Keep stirring for a few minutes. 

4. Stir the gravy nicely and add all the spice powders mentioned in the Gravy ingredients. Cook for 2 mins and add 1.5 cups of water. Let it come to a boil and the gravy will start thickening. At this stage add Garam masala powder and put off the stove. Add the cream now and give a gentle stir( this step is optional).

5. Assembly of Koftas and Gravy-  In a flat dish arrange the Koftas and pour the gravy over them. Decorate with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with Rotis, Phulkas, Naan. 

I have served them with hot phulkas. 

NOTES: 1. The moisture in the vegetables is enough for forming the Koftas.

2. If you choose to add the whole spices to the onion-tomato mix, you can consider straining the puree, to get rid of any unground spice.

3. If you are adding all whole-spices together to the oil directly, after making the gravy you can fish them out with a spoon if you don't want to chew on them.

If you try out this recipe, please comment below. I would love to hear from you.