MIXED VEGETABLE KOFTA IN A CREAMY RICH CURRY

I was eager to share this recipe of MIXED VEGETABLE KOFTA IN A CREAMY RICH CURRY that I prepared last week. There are a couple of reasons for this .... Koftas are an absolute favourite and I keep doing them with a varied combination of ingredients. At this home, there lives a teen whose mother fed him "mulo shaak to pepe ghonto" .... since age three....... that is heirloom Bengali / Indian dishes and also took him out for Pizzas, Fried Chicken or Oriental Cuisine or to taste Cuisines of other Indian states. Ten long years the mother and her kid had a beautiful, "live in" relationship where the father was an occasional guest, though we were well guarded by the family members. Our boy was okay with both kinds of food until he relocated to a different land, learnt to be vocal about his likes and dislikes. 

Perhaps because the mother started taking interest in cooking or may be she was too bothered about what she serves to her family on the table, the son started expecting restaurant style food at the comfort of home. He would eat veggies only when it is cooked and served with a royal touch ..... by that I meant if I serve him a normal fry made of potato, carrot and beetroot, he would not touch but if I cook them together with aromatic spices, prepare balls from them and serve with such a nutty, creamy gravy, he will have it with all love with pulao or poori, parathas, following his father's footsteps. The lady feels she has nothing much to do, why cannot she do this much for her family.... while cooking is a passion for her too. I bet many of you face the same with your son and / or daughter.

I wished to share this recipe of MIXED VEGETABLE KOFTA IN A CREAMY RICH CURRY today because it is an easy recipe that requires less explanation, the hangover of watching a movie with a strong message as Secret Superstar is still there, I cannot concentrate on other things much. This vegetarian dish with all the goodness of carrots, beetroot, potato and green peas in a yogurt and nuts based gravy is done in very less oil as I never fry the koftas, it is absolutely not required in this case.... I will be glad if my readers try this no fail recipe that will bring a restaurant effect on their dining table when served with naan / luchi / paratha or rice / pulao. You can well include this MIXED VEGETABLE KOFTA IN A CREAMY RICH CURRY recipe of mine in your menu if you have fussy eaters at home.... and if you have a daughter "Insia" at your home, the protagonist of the movie Secret Superstar .... treat her / them as a queen.... as an equal to your son if you have both. 

Looking at our late father's picture yesterday or today, I missed him more.... I have never seen or felt such discrimination at our home or in the surrounding.... my little brother was caring about me.... he punched me only when I complained about his mischiefs to the parents... hihi...... but I know there are millions of Insia who are fighting for recognition, dignity..... I also hear of women.... educated ones who abort female foetus as they do not wish to have a second daughter in their life.... who would you blame? Lack of 'actual' education, awareness off course. I fail to understand how come spending crores on installing statues and demolishing historical monuments become more important than spending on education and in the health sectors.... perhaps that does not serve the purpose of been in the throne for long. I am been apolitical in the sense that this is true during all regime .... perhaps I am too uneducated compared to people in power..... perhaps I am an anti-nationalist...... 

My further shrinking brain was wondering if an uneducated Najma.... the mother of the protagonist can give birth to her girl child going against all odds, why others cannot.... not everything is filmy in films ..... I am not in a smooching-kissing relationship with my in-laws but I am thankful to them for raising two wonderful kids. Someone sitting beside me at the cinema hall was caught getting emotional.... Who is that in disguise of a tiger? ... hihi... The rest of the film was for comic relief .... road to success is definitely not that easy and fast .... 

My recipe of MIXED VEGETABLE KOFTA IN A CREAMY RICH CURRY is so much  easy so that it is done within an hour or so. To prove that, we need to do it together. About the photography, I am not great at it! After all these excitement I see, I have kind of a similar recipe from two years back ..... hihi ... anyway.... the two are a bit different.... today's gravy is milder, creamier with a sweet and sour tone.

INGREDIENTS : [for the kofta]

Potato : 2
Carrot : 2
Beetroot : 
Green Pea : 2tbsp
Green Chilli : 2 [chopped]
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Cumin Seed : 1/4tsp
Refined Flour : 11/2tbsp
Sugar : 1tsp [optional]
Salt : As Required
Oil : 2tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the gravy]

Plain Yogurt : 1/2coffee mug
Cashew Nut : 6-8
Raisin : 8-10
Melon Seed : 1/4tsp
Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Onion Paste : 2tbsp
Red Chilli Powder :1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 2pinches
Cumin Seed : 2-3pinches
Bayleaf : 1
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 1/4tsp 

Oil : 2-3 tbsp

METHOD :

Let us prepare the koftas first. Peel, wash and half the potatoes. Peel and wash the beetroot and roughly chop. Peel and wash the carrot, cut into cubes.

Take all of them in a pressure cooker and add one big cup of water, little salt and turmeric. Pressure cook at low heat up to two whistles. Let cool.

Once it is cool, take out the boiled vegetables and keep in a plate. The remaining water can be used in soups and gravies. Mash the veggies well.

Heat the oil in a pan. Temper with cumin seeds. Add the green peas and chopped green chillies. Stir for not more than a minute.

Add the mashed vegetables to the pan and fold in well. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Now add the cumin and coriander powder, little salt and turmeric powder, sugar. Fold in well and stir cook for 3-4 minutes.

You will see the water evaporating. Add the refined flour now, fold in and cook for a minute. Switch off gas and transfer the entire mixture in a plate and let cool.

Once cool, form tennis size balls / kofta from it. Keep aside.

Microwave the cashew nuts and melon seeds for a minute at low power. Prepare a smooth paste with cashew nuts, raisins, melon seeds and yogurt in the blender. We have already in hand onion and garlic pastes.

Heat oil in a wok and temper with cumin seeds and a bayleaf. Add the onion paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add garlic paste and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the yogurt mix. Fold in well and stir continuously for a minute. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and the sugar. Fold in well and let cook for a minute.

Add 11/2 medium cup water, give a stir. Let the curry boil at low heat for 2-3 minutes. Switch off.

Arrange the koftas in a serving plate and pour the gravy on top of it. Allow the gravy to soak in for 15-20 minutes.

Now our MIXED VEGETABLE KOFTA IN A CREAMY RICH GRAVY is ready to be served with a wide range of mains....from plain rice, sweet pulao, lemon rice, dry fruit pulao, mixed fried rice to chapati, paratha, luchi, pita, naan to any kind of bread if you may prefer.