Last night I made a rich paneer kofta curry to pair with sesame (til) parathas — I’ll share the paratha recipe tomorrow. I love paneer but usually avoid it while dieting; this time I made some fresh paneer and turned it into a flavorful kofta curry. I didn’t follow a strict recipe, just added ingredients as I went, and the result was outstanding. The gravy turned out rich and vibrant, and the koftas were soft and delicious. I used a mix of regular red chili powder and Kashmiri red chili powder; the Kashmiri variety gives the curry a lovely red color. The sesame paratha complemented the curry perfectly — my husband enjoyed it a lot.
Ingredients:
For the Koftas:
Crumbled paneer – 150 g
Bread slices – 2
Sesame (til) seeds – 2 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Chaat masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Oil – for deep frying
For the Gravy:
Butter – 3 tbsp
Tomatoes – 3 medium
Onions – 2 medium
Garlic – 5 cloves
Ginger – a small piece
Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Clove – 1
Cinnamon – a small stick/piece
Fresh mint leaves – a handful
Fresh coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Procedure:
Koftas:
1. Combine crumbled paneer, torn bread slices, sesame seeds, red chili powder, salt, chopped coriander and chaat masala. Mix well to form a soft, cohesive dough.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai for frying.
3. Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball.
4. Deep fry the koftas until they are golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Gravy:
1. Chop the tomatoes and mint leaves and grind them together to a coarse paste. Pound garlic and ginger to a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle or finely mince them.
2. Heat butter in a pan. When it starts to melt, add the cinnamon piece and clove and sauté briefly until aromatic.
3. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
4. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.
5. Stir in the tomato-mint paste along with red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala and fennel powder.
6. Add salt and turmeric. Cook the mixture, stirring often, until it thickens and the butter separates from the masala.
7. Add enough water to reach a curry consistency. Bring to a gentle boil.
8. Carefully add the fried koftas and sprinkle chopped coriander. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 2 minutes so the koftas absorb the flavors.
9. Serve hot with your choice of flatbread — sesame parathas are especially good with this curry.
| Take all the ingredients for kofta |
| Knead to a dough |
| Divide into 8 equal balls |
| Deep fry them |
| Saute onion |
| Add the masala paste and powders |
| Cook until it leaves butter |
| Add enough water and add the koftas |
| Serve hot |