CABBAGE KOFTA CURRY

Harvested first somewhere in Europe before 1000 BC, Cabbage is cooked in many ways; steamed, stewed, sautéed, braised, eaten raw too. Different countries eat it in different ways. Indians, its subcontinent cannot think of cooking anything without spices, we prepare cabbage  with spices, dollops of clarified butter. Doesn't it sound yum?

Actually, my men are not vegetable lovers in general! If I serve them vegetarian kofta, they would enjoy it, mostly with flat or puffed breads! I am particular about enough vegetables, just cannot think of a diet of meat & fish protein alone! A diet without vegetables is a wrong diet!

In our childhood, this vegetable was eaten only in winter. Nowadays, with its availability throughout the year, we really have to think about various ways of cooking it. It was a Sunday, a day with ample time to cook something different. My vegetarian friends might be planning to unfriend me, I thought why not make Cabbage Kofta today? Weekends should be for all kinds of time consuming  kofta curries & to be merry at dining table.

INGREDIENTS : ( for kofta balls )

Cabbage : Shredded 300 gm
Boiled & Mashed Potato : 2 medium sized
Corn Flour : 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp.
Green Chillies : 2 (thinly sliced)

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Dry Mango Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As per taste

Sugar : 1 tsp (optional)
Cumin Seed : 1/2 tsp

Oil : 2 tbsp

INGREDIENTS : (for curry)

Onion Paste : 3 tbsp
Tomato Paste : 1 small tea cup
Ginger paste : 2 tsp

Garlic Paste : 2 tsp

Melon Seed Paste (charmogoz)
Cumin powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder : 2 tsp (adjust as per your requirement)
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp.

Green Cardamom : 3-4

Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 small sized

Clove : 3-4
Salt : As per your taste

Sugar : 1 tsp (optional)

Bay Leaf : 1
Everest Kitchen King Masala : 1 tbsp
Oil  : 2 tablespoon

PROCEDURE :

Wash, shred cabbage thinly. In a microwave safe bowl put together cabbage, water. Microwave at high for 4 minutes. When cold discard water. This is done because raw cabbage may cause bloating in some. 

Heat oil in wok, temper with cumin seeds!. Add blanched cabbage, add cumin+coriander+turmeric powders+salt, fold in well! Once cabbage cooks well, add dry mango powder, sugar, potato mash, fold in well! Transfer to a bowl, wait to cool! 

Prepare kofta balls, place on a greased oven proof metal plate! I placed low height wired stand inside my convection mode microwave, placed the plate on it! I cooked one side for 10 minutes at microwave+grill mode, other side for 6 minutes!

Mix together pastes of tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, melon seeds, turmeric, salt. Heat oil, temper with bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves. Add spice paste. Fry until raw smell goes away, it turns golden brown. Now add cumin+coriander+red chilli powders. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Pour in 1 coffee mug water. Cover, let curry boil at medium heat.

Once the gravy turns thick, add the Kitchen King Masala & the sugar if you are using! Let boil for another minute & take down! Add the curry to the kofta balls only before 10-15 minutes of eating them!

These tricks I use to force in some vegetables inside my strictly non-vegetarian son, husband. Hope you will enjoy too!!!