our third day of cooking indian food (specifically from the Phaidon India cookbook). the sauce for the kofta was amazing even though it separated. we saved it by whisking cornstarch into yogurt and incorporating it into the not-quite-warm sauce.
m + j
sabut bhindi / whole spicy okra
india cookbook (phaidon) p. 245
serves 4
500g / 1lb 2oz okra, topped and tailed (trimmed)
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
10 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp amchoor
1 tsp garam masala (p. 31)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch of asafoetida
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt
Slit the okra lengthways down one side without slicing them in two.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until they start to splutter. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
Add the okra and fry for a further 15 minutes. Now add all the spices and the tomatoes, then season with salt and mix well. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop the okra from sticking to the pan. Remove from the heat and keep covered until ready to serve.
kofta curry / meatball curry
india cookbook (phaidon) p. 486
serves 4
250ml / 8 fl oz (1 cup) vegetable oil or ghee
3 onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground fresh ginger
1 tsp ground garlic
1 tsp ground aniseed
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 x 2.5cm / 1-inch piece dried coconut
1 tsp chili powder
pinch of saffron threads
4 cloves
5 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, about 2.5cm / 1 inch long
180ml / 6.5 fl oz (3/4 cup) natural (plain) yogurt, whisked
350g / 12 oz (3 cups) cooked minced (ground) lamb
1 egg
salt
Plain boiled rice (p. 631), chapatti or paratha (p. 609)
Heat 4 tablespoons oil or ghee in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat, add the onions and stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the turmeric, ginger and garlic and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the aniseed, poppy seeds and coconut and fry for about 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add the chili powder, saffron, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon and yogurt, then season with salt. Pour in 500ml / 18 fl oz (2.25 cups) water and cook over low heat for 5 minutes to make a sauce. If a smooth sauce is preferred, allow to cool and process in a blender for 30 seconds until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add 125ml / 4.5 fl oz (1/2 cup) water.
Put the minced lamb in a blender or food processor and process until ground. Transfer the mince to a frying pan (skillet) and cook over low heat to dry out the water, otherwise the koftas will break when they are fried. Beat the egg thoroughly in a bowl and mix into the mince, then shape into walnut-sized balls.
Heat 175ml / 6 fl oz (3/4 cup) oil or ghee in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the koftas for about 5-8 minutes, or until they are golden brown all over. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper (paper towels).
Put the koftas in a serving dish with the hot sauce. The sauce should cover at least half the koftas. Serve hot with cooked rice, chapatti or paratha.