Veg Kofta is typically a deep fried vegetable masala ball, that can be served as is as a starter or added into a masala based gravy / curry. It is served with any Indian Flatbread like chapati/tandoori roti/ naan/kulcha or with rice. The ‘Kofta Curry’ makes for a wholesome delicious curry as it has multiple vegetables and a rich creamy gravy.
Though, this is slightly time consuming as you have to prepare both kofta and the curry, it is worth the effort you put in. If you do not wish to cook everything at once, you can prepare koftas few hours in advance, whip up the tomato-onion based curry when required and dunk the cooked koftas before serving and you’re all done!
Also, these koftas can be served alone as an appetizer / starter with mint coriander chutney or tomato ketchup.
This recipe is slightly different to the authentic kofta recipe, with an addition of flattened rice/poha and of course with the no-deep-frying part. I am always looking for alternatives to enjoy some of my favourite dishes without any guilt.
Paddu pan/ appe pan/ paniyaram pan is such a blissful alternative to relish snacks like Bonda, Kofta, Falafel etc., without having to deep fry them. I am totally satisfied with the outcomes of these done in a paddu pan.
So, here I am sharing this healthy Mixed Vegetable Poha Kofta Curry (non fried) along with the step-by-step pictures, as requested by most of the followers on Instagram.
So, let us move on to learning this healthy and delicious ‘Mixed Vegetable Poha Kofta Curry (non-fried). Shall we?
Mixed Veg Poha Kofta Curry (Non deep-fried)
Ingredients
To make Vegetable Poha Kofta (makes 10-12 medium sized Koftas)
- 1/2 cup thick poha (flattened rice)
- 1/2 cup water (to soak poha) - can add little extra water if required
- 1 medium size carrot - peeled and fairly chopped
- 2 medium size potatoes - peeled and fairly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 6 numbers french beans - finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 4 sprigs coriander leaves - finely chopped
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs - I have used whole wheat bread crumbs
- salt - as per taste
- oil - to make the koftas
To coat the Koftas
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp corn flour (corn starch)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
To make the Gravy
- 3 tsp oil
- 2 large tomatoes - finely chopped
- 2 medium onion - finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 15 numbers cashews
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 + 2 cups vegetable stock - used to cook veggies earlier (or use water)
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 large bay leaf - or 2 small ones
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi - (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tbsp yogurt - (curd)
- 1/2 tsp sugar or jaggery - optional
- salt - to taste
- coriander leaves chopped - to garnish
Instructions
Preparing the Kofta
- Cook all the vegetables mentioned under 'To make vegetable kofta', in a pressure cooker or in an open pan. I prefer open pan to avoid overcooking.
- Once cooked, drain the water completely and let the veggies cool down slightly. To remove all the moisture content I recommend you keep it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Don't worry, veggies will not get frozen so soon.
- Preserve the vegetable stock, which can be used later to make gravy.
- In the meantime, soak flattened rice/poha in water for 8-10 minutes. Once it is done, drain the water, squeeze out any extra water in the poha. Keep this aside.
- Take out the vegetables from the freezer after 20 minutes and transfer them to a mixing bowl. To this, add soaked and drained poha and all the other ingredients except oil mentioned under 'To make Vegetable Poha Kofta'. Mash the veggies and mix everything thoroughly.
- You should be able to make non-sticky balls. So, add more bread crumbs, if the mixture is sticky and you are not able to shape it to balls.
- Now heat a Paddu/Appe/Paniyaram pan, add 2 drops of oil in each cavity.
- By the time the pan gets hot, start shaping the vegetable poha mixture to balls, by greasing your palm with oil. Make sure to size them slightly smaller than the size of your paddu pan cavity, so that it can cook well.
- To a small bowl, add corn flour/ corn starch, salt, pepper and water and whisk well to form a lump-free thin mixture.
- Dip the kofta ball prepared earlier, in the corn flour mixture. Then, take it out and coat it uniformly with breadcrumbs. Repeat the same procedure for the remaining balls and transfer them onto a plate.
- Put the prepared kofta balls into the paddu pan cavities. Drizzle some oil over each of them, close a lid and cook on low-medium flame (this is important-sot hat it gets cooked well inside too).
- Once you see that the koftas have turned brown on one side, flip them carefully, without breaking them.
- Cook the other side too by adding a drop of oil. Once they are cooked well on all the sides, transfer them onto a kitchen paper so as to remove the oil.
Preparing the Gravy
- Take a thick bottom pan, add 1 tsp oil. Once it gets hot, add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add finely chopped onions. Saute for a few minutes, then add ginger-garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away and onion turns translucent.
- Now add chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy. Once this is done, add the cashews and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Next add in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder. Saute for 5-8 minutes. Once this cools down, transfer to a mixer jar, add 1/4 cup vegetable stock and blend to a smooth paste.
- To the same pan, add 2 tsps oil. Once it turns hot, add bay leaves and saute until they turn light brown.
- Now transfer the prepared onion-tomato paste. Add some stock and simmer in low-medium heat for 10 mins until the mixture gets thick. Make sure to stir it often so that it does not get stuck to the pan.
- Once the mixture turns thick and has simmered well, add salt, jaggery/sugar, garam masala, curd, and vegetable stock.
- Simmer well for 5 more minutes in low-medium heat. Adjust the consistency by adding more water/vegetable stock, if it is thick. Finish off with crushed kasuri methi.
- Just before serving, transfer the Koftas to the curry. Simmer for about 5 minutes so that the flavors of the curry is absorbed well by the koftas. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with any flatbread or with rice
Notes
- The vegetables can be chosen based on your choice. Other vegetables like cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage, onion etc., can also be added. If you wish to add raw vegetables with water content like radish, zucchini etc., make sure to squeeze and remove the water completely.
- Quantity of bread crumbs can be adjusted based on the moisture content present in the vegetables. You can definitely add more, if the dough is sticky.
- After making the kofta dough, if it is sticky, you can refrigerate for 15-20 minutes and then shape them to balls.
- Adding jaggery / sugar does not make the gravy sweet. It perfectly balances the flavor.
- Do not put the koftas in the gravy for too long, as they will turn soggy. So, just put them into the gravy before serving and simmer for few minutes
Method to Prepare Mixed Vegetable Poha Kofta Curry Recipe (non-fried) with Step-by-Step Pictures
Preparing the Kofta:
1. To a mixing bowl, add cooked and drained vegetables. Mash well using a masher. Now add soaked flattened rice/ poha and mash thoroughly. You can mash poha until coarse or fine, based on how you like. I have mashed it until fine.
2. Add breadcrumbs, salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder, chaat masala. garam masala, coriander leaves and mix thoroughly. You should be able to make non-sticky balls. So, add more bread crumbs, if the mixture is sticky and you are not able to shape it to balls.
3. Grease your palm with oil, take a lemon sized quantity of the mixture, and shape to balls. Dip in corn flour-water mixture. Coat it with bread crumbs uniformly, so that the balls are in tact and cook crispy. Repeat this for the rest of the mixture.
4. Add 2 drops of oil to each of the cavities of your paddu/appe/paniyaram pan. Place the koftas in them, drizzle some oil, cover a lid and cook on low-medium flame until it turns brown. Flip carefully and cook well until all the sides turn brown. This may take time, but do not increase the heat, as it has to cook well inside. Once done, transfer them onto a plate.
Preparing the Gravy:
1. Take a thick bottom pan, add 1 tsp oil. Once it gets hot, add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add finely chopped onion. Saute for a few minutes, then add ginger-garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell goes away and onion turns translucent.
2. Now add tomato, cashews and cook until mushy. You can add few tablespoons of vegetable stock or water to quicken the process. Once it is done, put in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder. Saute for 5-8 minutes.
3. Once this cools down, transfer this to a mixer jar, add some vegetable stock and blend to a smooth paste.
4. To the same pan which was used earlier, add 2 tsps oil. Once it turns hot, add bay leaf and saute until they turn light brown. Now transfer the prepared onion-tomato paste. Add some water and simmer in low-medium heat until the mixture forms thick. Make sure to stir it often so that it does not stick to the pan.
5. Once the mixture turns thick, add salt, jaggery/sugar, garam masala, curd and vegetable stock. Simmer well for about 5 minutes in low heat.
6. Adjust the consistency by adding more water/vegetable stock, if it is thick. Check the taste and adjust the spices or salt, if required. Finish off with crushed kasuri methi. You can keep the gravy thick or thin, according to your taste.
7. Just before serving, transfer the koftas to the curry. Simmer for about 5 minutes so that the flavours of the curry is absorbed well by the koftas. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with any flatbread or with rice.
I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed preparing it and writing it down for you all. I would love to hear your feedbacks on this. When you try it, kindly post your valuable comments below or share it with me personally on Instagram / Facebook, or post it and kindly tag me. You may also pin it on Pinterest to refer later.