Malai Kofta…..

I am still reeling under the taste of the delicious malai kofta I made yesterday. If I could say so myself “Well done Buddy !”

Yesterday I saw a You tube video of making Malai Kofta and as the opportunity arose I made it, but with a twist, I omitted ingredients I don’t like and added some of my own. The result was very good. Now the recipe for you.

Ingredients:
For the Kofta:
2 large boiled and peeled potatoes.
1/2 cup of grated paneer.
1 small finely chopped green chilli.
2 tsps of chopped coriander.
A pinch of pepper powder.
1 cup of maida.

For the gravy:
3 large tomatoes.
1 green chilli.
½ tsp of jeera.
½ tsp of ginger garlic paste.
½ tsp of coriander powder.
¼ tsp of garam masala powder.
1 tsp of gram flour. ( it was recommended to add maida, but gram flour is healthier and gives good taste too)
2 tsps of chopped coriander
1 spring of curry leaves.
¼ tsp of asafetida.
5 tsps of fresh cream

Water.
Oil for frying.
Salt for taste.


Preparation:

For the Koftas.
1. In a big bowl, mash the boiled potatoes till a little lumpy, add the grated paneer, salt, chopped chillites, pepper and coriander and mix in hand. Don’t mash them.
2. Now make small lemon sized balls and roll them over maida (don’t make batter with maida, it tastes better when rolled over dry flour)
3. In a kadi heat oil and fry the koftas till it turns a very slight golden colour, (don’t over fry) and drain them.

For the Gravy.
1. Make a puree of the tomatoes,green chilli, curry leaves.
2. In a sauce pan, pour 3 tsps of oil, when oil is heated add the jeera and when it crakles add the ginger garlic paste and the above made puree.
3. Add the coriander powder, garam masala powder and let the ingredients boil.
4. Now, mix the besan (gram flour) in a little water and add it to the contents. Stir continuously while pouring or it will form lumps.
5. Add requiste water and salt and cook the gravy till u see oil floating on top.
6. When done, add the koftas and switch off the stove.
7. Garnish with coriander and add the beaten cream slowly and mix the contents and serve hot.

Note: Should be eaten fresh. As we add cream to this dish it cannot be kept for long.

Cauliflower Pakoda

They call this dish as Cauliflower Pakoda/ Pakora or Cauliflower 65 in some restaurants. Sold everywhere now, I first tasted this in a restaurant.

Ingredients:
1 big bowl of cleaned cauliflower florets.
Salt for taste.
Oil for frying.
5 tsps of cornflour.
2 tsps of dried rice powder.
1 pinch of food color.
½ tsp of garam masala.
½ tsp of red chilli powder.

Preparation
1. Soak the cauliflowers in warm water along with some salt and keep it covered for 5 minutes. This will remove any worms if present and will also partially cook the cauliflowers. (Those who like half cooked vegetables can duck and remove the florets).
2. Remove the cauliflowers from water and strain them.
3. In a big bowl, mix the cauliflower, corn flour, rice flour, food color, salt and chilli powder and mix them thoroughly till all the florets are coated. Do not add water as this will make the pakoras soggy.
4. Now, in a kadai, heat oil and fry the cauliflowers till the stem shrinks and the cauliflower is golden brown. Hot pakoras are ready!

Vadakari

This is a healthier version, where the vadai’s are steamed rather than fried and the taste is better and is not oily.

Ingredients:
1 cup of Bengal gram (channa dal) soaked overnight and coarsely ground.
½ cup finely chopped onions.
Oil for cooking.
Salt as per taste.
4 whole green chillies (with team removed)
1 small chopped tomato.
1 tsp of broken spices (1 cradamon , clove and cinnamon, small bay leaf)
¼ tsp of saunf.
½ tsp of turmeric.
½ tsp of ginger-garlic paste.
1 sprig of curry leaves.
2 tsps of chopped coriander.

Preparation:
1. Spread the vada mavu (ground Bengal gram mixed with a little salt in a idli steamer plate and steam it till cooked.
2. In a pan, heat about 3 tsps of oil, add the onions, curry leaves, green chillis, saunf and spices and cook till onions are translucent.
3. Then add the turmeric powder, the ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes or till tomatoes become tender.
4. Now, add the steamed vada’s and mix them thoroughly, add salt and ½ cup of water and cook till the contents become soft and taste is even.
5. The vadais should be all broken and oil should start coming on top, now garnish with coriander and remove from fire.
Best eaten with steaming hot idli or ghee dosai.

Note: For those who like the vadi’s crisp, but don’t want excess oil, you can spread the vada batter in a greased tawa, pour a tsp of oil around sides like dosa and cook it covered with a lid in slow fire. Cook both sides and when it becomes a little crisp can be removed, broken and added to the contents in pan and cooked normally.