PANEER STUFFED POTATO KOFTA CURRY

Koftas are a favourite with us. Done with various ingredients, it adds a special touch to the dish. I call it a delightful vegetarian dish.... classy, tasty. Paneer do I always stock in the freezer. The other day, a little of paneer was left in the refrigerator. I was not in the mood to go out and fetch it either. Though I am not good with ideas, these are the situations when ideas pop up on our minds, I am against food wastage. Perhaps it was a Friday when my pantry was almost empty. I could not think of a mixed-veg paneer masala as a vegetarian side. Hence, this idea of preparing a Paneer Stuffed Potato Kofta Curry popped up. I prepared this kofta curry for the first time and was happy with the outcome. Definitely it will be on my to do list on a regular basis. Though the process is a little time consuming, I felt it is worth the effort. I used store bought paneer, you can prepare it fresh at home. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS : [for the stuffing]

Paneer [Indian Cottage Cheese] : 100gm

Chopped Green Chilli : 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seed : 2 pinches
Garam Masala : 1/4 tsp
Salt : A little
Sugar : 1/4 tsp

Oil : 1 tsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the coverage]

Potato : 2

Cornflour : 1 tbsp
Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : As required

Oil : 1 tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [The Final Level]

Tomato : 1
Plain Yogurt : 2 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp
Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Cinnamon Stick : 1 two inch length

Green Cardamom : 2

Cloves : 2

Bayleaf : 1
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 tsp

METHOD :

Take the paneer in a bowl. Mash it. Heat the oil in a wok, temper it with the washed and chopped green chillies and the cumin seeds. Add the mashed paneer and the spice powders, salt. Fold in well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Peel, wash, halve and boil the potatoes, let cool. Transfer the potatoes in a bowl, mash well. Add the oil, cornflour, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, salt. Mash together well.

Prepare balls with the potato mix. Make pockets. Fill in with the paneer mix. Close tight and shape as per your choice. You can fry them but I oven cooked them. 

I greased an oven proof plate with a little of oil, placed the stuffed koftas on it. Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I did place the low height wired stool inside and on the top of it the plate. I cooked them at 160* at the microwave+grill combo-2 for 10 minutes.

For the curry, wash and chop the tomatoes. Whisk the yogurt. Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with the bayleaf and the cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms and the cloves.

Add the ginger paste. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes. Saute until it melts.

Add the salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander and red chilli powders. Mix well. Add the beaten yogurt and stir till the spice mix separates from the oil. Add a small cup of water. Let simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Add the garam masala powder. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the gas oven.

Arrange the koftas on a serving bowl. Pour the gravy over the koftas few minutes before having the dish. Enjoy with steamed rice, fried rice or the bread varieties.