Besan Kofta Curry
Submitted by pensioner
Punjabi besan kofta curry with crispy chickpea flour dumplings stuffed with dried plums, simmered in a rich tomato-onion gravy with garam masala and ghee. A show-stopping vegetarian main dish from North Indian kitchens.
YIELD
1 recipePREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis is the kind of dish that earns you a reputation in the kitchen.
Crispy besan koftas get rolled around whole dried plums (alubhukharas), giving each golden dumpling a sweet, tangy surprise at the center.
The curry sauce starts with onions and garlic ground to a paste, fried in ghee until deeply golden, then simmered with tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala until the oil rises to the surface and everything smells like a Punjabi grandmother’s kitchen.
Drop the koftas into that sauce, let them soak up the gravy for a few minutes, and finish with a shower of fresh cilantro.
Serve with basmati rice or warm naan and prepare for the compliments.
Kitchen Tips
- Knead the besan dough until very stiff. Too much moisture and the koftas will break apart when frying.
- Fry the koftas on medium heat so they cook through to the center without burning the outside.
- The pomegranate seeds in the kofta dough add a subtle tartness. Don’t skip them. Crush them well before mixing in.
- Cook the curry sauce until the ghee separates and floats on top. This is the sign that the masala is properly cooked and won’t taste raw.
- Add the koftas to the sauce just before serving to keep them from getting too soft.
Ingredients
Directions
Koftas: Mix together besan, salt, chili powder, ghee (or oil), pomegranate and cumin seeds.
Grind onions to a very fine paste and add to besan mixture.
Knead dough; it will be very stiff. Roll dough into balls the size of small lemons, encasing a whole alubhukhara inside each portion.
Deep fry koftas until golden brown; drain and set aside.
Prepare curry sauce: Grind onion and garlic to a paste.
Heat ghee and fry onion and garlic paste until golden brown.
Add spices, and cook for another minute, then add tomatoes and cook until ghee (or oil) begins to rise to the surface.
Add 1 cup water, then cook until mixture is almost dry.
Using a wooden spoon, mash mixture to a paste.
Add 2 more cups of water, bring to a boil. Add koftas to sauce and simmer over low heat another 5 minutes or so.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.
Comments
i tried making one and tha resolts ware WOW!