Baked Veggie Kofta in Palak Gravy

I love koftas and I order it every time we at an Indian Restaurant. I tried baked beans kofta curry some time ago and it came out very well...since then I have been tempted to make veggie koftas too.
I try to avoid frying as much as possible ...its also out of lazyness ... I love anything that involves baking since you do not have to stand next to the stove - pop it in the oven and get it done. One more thing you can indulge in these things guilt free .... It tasted yummy!

Ingredients:

For the Koftas

4 Medium size Potatoes
2 Carrots
1 Capsicum
(Any other veggies of your choice)
1/2 Cup Crushed Paneer
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Jeera Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder
Mint leaves
Cashews

Gravy

2 Bunches Spinach (thorougly washed)
4 Tomatoes chopped
1 Medium Onion chopped
1 Green chilly
1 inch piece ginger
1 Tsp Jeera
1 Pieces Elaichi
2 Cloves
1 Tsp Garam Masala
1/2 Tsp Red Chilly Powder (the one I use is very spicy hence I use only half a teaspoon)
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tsp Salt
Oil
Jeera

Method:

1. Boil the veggies and add the other ingredients to it. Mix it well. Take a tray (or pan) which is oven safe. Line it with aluminium foil. Make the koftas and place them on the sheet. Drizzle oil over it.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 375 deg F. Pop the koftas into the oven. After 25 minutes (or when the bottom turns brown) turn them over for another 15 minutes.
3. Cook the spinach in pressure cooker. Turn off the gas when the steam comes (do not put the weight). Allow it to cool. Drain the water from the spinach and reserve the water. You can add it if the gravy gets very thick.
4. Grind the tomatoes, onion, green chilly, jeera, cloves, elaichi along with the spinach.
5. Heat oil in a pan (use flat bottomed pans while making koftas). Add the jeera and let it splutter.
6. Add the puree.  If the puree is too thick add the water that has been reserved from cooking the spinach.
7. Add garam masala, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and the salt.
8. Allow it to boil.
9. Add the koftas and simmer it for 5 minutes.
10. Turn off the stove.
11. Yummy koftas in palak gravy is ready to be served ...goes well with rice or rotis.
Enjoy!

(I did not get good set of photos this time ...will try to get better ones when I make them next time)

Baked Bean Kofta Curry

I am big fan of kofta curry ...whenever I go to an Indian restaurant I order this one. I have  sore throat and I did not want to fry anything...wanted to keep it simple...and I generally do not feel that energetic to cook on Sunday evenings though I do not work now...that's been the way I felt when I was working and now Monday means getting my son ready to school and packing lunch boxes ....thinking of it in itself is making me tired! I will think about the Monday stuff later.......

Now coming to the kofta part...I love veggie kofta but thinking of potato puts me off.......I have been thinking of bean kofta for a long time. I soak them but in the evenings I get tired and just make a gravy out of it and not bean balls. My SIL even taught me to make "All bean pulippu kootu" will post that one too in the coming days. I am so happy that I made it happen and bean kofta it is.....I just finished making the bean kofta ...it was so easy to make...pop the balls in the oven ...........voila! my son just had it with the ketchup! It was so easy .....a lot better than standing near the stove and frying them.

I made extra balls and used them as burgers!

Since this came out good am gonna try "spaghetti with a chance of bean balls" pretty soon...... by tweaking the way I made the balls to sound more Italianish...lets see........

Recipe.............

Ingredients:

Kofta

1 fist full each of green peas, white peas, channa, rajma, whole green gram dhal and black eyed peas  (may add whatever you like) for 8 hrs and cook it
Coriander powder
Red chilly powder
Jeera Powder
Kasuri methi
Salt
Olive oil

Gravy

1 Big Onion
6 Tomatoes
2 TBSP Tomato sauce
Turmeric, Coriander Powder, Jeera Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Red Chilly Powder and Salt
Olive oil

Take oil in a pan and fry the onion and tomatoes. Grind it into a smooth paste.
Take oil and let the jeera splutter.
 Add the puree and the spices. Let it boil. Add the tomato sauce.
Turn off the stove when it starts thickening.

Now lets go to the kofta part -

Mash the bean mixture. Add the spices listed for making the kofta.
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Take a oven safe tray line it with the foil and spread olive oil over it.
Make small balls out of the mixture and pop it into the oven.
Turn them after 15 minutes and cook it for 15 more minutes
Let it cool.

Add them to the puree and boil it for five more minutes..................enjoy it with roti/pulka/nan or even rice...........Enjoy!