Ingredients
- 8 cashew nuts (whole)
- 2 russet potatoes
- 1 green chile (fresh hot)
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 240 ml water
- 240 ml water mild vegetable oil for deep -frying spicy cream sauce
- 120 ml cream (heavy)
- 100 gr green peas
- 95 gr chick pea flour
- 30 gr cashew nuts (chopped)
- 28 gr cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 18 gr butter (unsalted)
- 18 gr cilantro (chopped fresh)
- 10 gr raisins
- 7 gr salt
- 5 gr paprika
- 2 gr cumin seeds
- 2 gr coriander (ground)
- 1 gr cayenne pepper
- 1 gr nutmeg
- 1 gr turmeric
Kofta, a classic dish of Moghul origin, is one of the most important preparations of Indian vegetarian cuisine. Traditionally, koftas are simmered in a delicate sauce and turned into a curried main dish. These kebabs are wonderful served as cocktail appetizers with a yogurt or fruity dipping sauce. The kofta: Combine potatoes, peas, cheese, chile, coriander, cumin, salt, cashews and raisins. Form mixture into 3 cm balls. Make a batter with the flour and water. Season with pinch of salt, if desired. Heat oil to 190ÂșC in a deep fryer or large heavy saucepan. Dip balls into batter to coat completely, and deep-fry until brown (do not crowd), about 4 minutes. Set aside. (If you want the kebabs to remain firm, put them on a heated serving platter, and tent with foil. To serve, bring cream sauce to a boil and pour over kebabs.) The sauce: Grind cashews, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and garlic with a little water to make a fine paste. Set aside. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until wilted; stir in ground paste and cook 2 minutes. Add turmeric, paprika, coriander, cayenne and salt. Stir in half-and-half and water. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. (May be prepared 2 days ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated.) Stir in cream and kofta kebabs. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Note: Chick-pea flour (also called besan) may be purchased at Indian grocery stores. PER SERVING: 645 calories, 15 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 43 g fat (19 g saturated), 86 mg cholesterol, 1,450 mg sodium, 8 g fiber. Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 0. 0.27173913043478.