M of Indian Food
M...really a lot of (yu)mmmmm.... dishes start with M. It can be something as simple as moong dal and as elaborate as Malai Kofta or quick and healthy mushroom matar.
Malai Kofta in brown gravy is one of my all time favorites. Due to health concerns I try to adapt my favorite recipes and cook healthier versions (as much as possible). As a consequence, I made a healthy version of Malai Kofta last night.
The kofta recipe was taken from http://desifusioncorner.blogspot.com/. Ofcourse it was adapted. I cant follow any recipe word to word. :(
So here is what I made:
Malai Kofta in brown gravy is one of my all time favorites. Due to health concerns I try to adapt my favorite recipes and cook healthier versions (as much as possible). As a consequence, I made a healthy version of Malai Kofta last night.
The kofta recipe was taken from http://desifusioncorner.blogspot.com/. Ofcourse it was adapted. I cant follow any recipe word to word. :(
So here is what I made:
Malai Kofta
For the Kofta:
- 2 big potatoes (Boiled & grated)
- 1/2 cup paneer (grated) green chilli-1
- Garam masala - 1/2 tsp raisins - 2 tsp
- anardana powder-1 tsp
- Oil - 3-4 tsp (I tried to work with as less oil as possible)
- salt - 1 tsp
- Cornflour - 1 or 1.5 tbsp
Gravy:
Cashews - 1 tbsp
tomatoes- 3
khoya/mava - 2 tbsp
milk - 1.5 cups (you dont need all this milk if you have cream on hand. I did not have it and was too tired to go to the grocery store ;)
onion- 1/2 medium sized onion
ginger
Garlic-2 cloves
tejpatta/bayleaf -1
green chilli-1 Oil- 1.5 tbsp
Garam masala - 1tsp Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1/2tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Method-
For the Koftas:
Take the grated potato, grated paneer, all the spices for the kofta and the cornflour and make a smooth dough.
Here is the twist- I like deep fried stuff but I get very scared when I see how much oil from the wok they drink up. So instead of deep frying the koftas, I made flat oval cutlets with the mixture and shallow fried it in oil. Just like we do with Aloo tikki or any other kind of cutlets. This was done on medium high heat, till they were marron in color on both sides. This method is oil efficient but not time efficient. :)
You can however manage the time like I did. I put the tikkis/ koftas on the pre-heated griddle and started working on my gravy and kept turning the sides as they got cooked.
For the gravy:
Soak the cashews or if you have not done that then take them and microwave them in a bowl with water enough to just cover them. Microwave on high for 5-10 min Take the cashews. tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic and one green chilli and grind them in a food processor or a chopper. Take 2 tbsp oil and put the cumin seed and bay leaf in it. Once the cumin start crackling add the paste of tomatoes and cashews etc in it. Add some salt and let it cook on high heat till it changes color and starts leaving the sides. You cant smell the raw smell of onion is gone by this point. Note*it takes long for this to happen. even 10 min is not too much.* Add all the spices, the khoya and let it cook for 3-4 min. Add the milk and let it simmer for 10-15 min. The gravy I made was simmering for quite some time. Note* This gravy is a little thick.
It was just a co-incedence that the veggie I made while this gravy was simmering also starts with a M :) Mushroom Matar.
Anyways so when you are ready to serve take the kofta and pour the gravy over and its ready to eat with chapatis or parantha.
PS - Is it really a malai Kofta if I did not add any malai or cream to it :( I am sorrry if it is not. But is healthier for sure. Thats what we want right.
Take the grated potato, grated paneer, all the spices for the kofta and the cornflour and make a smooth dough.
Here is the twist- I like deep fried stuff but I get very scared when I see how much oil from the wok they drink up. So instead of deep frying the koftas, I made flat oval cutlets with the mixture and shallow fried it in oil. Just like we do with Aloo tikki or any other kind of cutlets. This was done on medium high heat, till they were marron in color on both sides. This method is oil efficient but not time efficient. :)
You can however manage the time like I did. I put the tikkis/ koftas on the pre-heated griddle and started working on my gravy and kept turning the sides as they got cooked.
For the gravy:
Soak the cashews or if you have not done that then take them and microwave them in a bowl with water enough to just cover them. Microwave on high for 5-10 min Take the cashews. tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic and one green chilli and grind them in a food processor or a chopper. Take 2 tbsp oil and put the cumin seed and bay leaf in it. Once the cumin start crackling add the paste of tomatoes and cashews etc in it. Add some salt and let it cook on high heat till it changes color and starts leaving the sides. You cant smell the raw smell of onion is gone by this point. Note*it takes long for this to happen. even 10 min is not too much.* Add all the spices, the khoya and let it cook for 3-4 min. Add the milk and let it simmer for 10-15 min. The gravy I made was simmering for quite some time. Note* This gravy is a little thick.
It was just a co-incedence that the veggie I made while this gravy was simmering also starts with a M :) Mushroom Matar.
Anyways so when you are ready to serve take the kofta and pour the gravy over and its ready to eat with chapatis or parantha.
PS - Is it really a malai Kofta if I did not add any malai or cream to it :( I am sorrry if it is not. But is healthier for sure. Thats what we want right.
Mushroom Matar
I learnt this from my Sister in law. We are both musroom fans and this is the quickest musroom sabzi possible.
I had on hand- 1 cup chopped musrooms
1/2 cup peas
1/4 cup chopped onions
other ingredients: 1 tbsp oil
cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
salt
Turmeric
red chilli powder
cumin powder
coriander powder- 1 tsp
Dry mango powder - 1tsp
garam masala -1/2 tsp
Method:
Take oil in a pan ->add cumin seeds and let them splutter->add the onions and saute them for 2 or 3 min. Add the musrooms, salt and turmeric powder and let the musrooms cook for a few min. Add the thawed frozen peas and let it cook for another 2 min on high heat. Add all the spices and cook for another 2-3 min and the veggie is ready.
Quick and delicious sabzi is ready.
I learnt this from my Sister in law. We are both musroom fans and this is the quickest musroom sabzi possible.
I had on hand- 1 cup chopped musrooms
1/2 cup peas
1/4 cup chopped onions
other ingredients: 1 tbsp oil
cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
salt
Turmeric
red chilli powder
cumin powder
coriander powder- 1 tsp
Dry mango powder - 1tsp
garam masala -1/2 tsp
Method:
Take oil in a pan ->add cumin seeds and let them splutter->add the onions and saute them for 2 or 3 min. Add the musrooms, salt and turmeric powder and let the musrooms cook for a few min. Add the thawed frozen peas and let it cook for another 2 min on high heat. Add all the spices and cook for another 2-3 min and the veggie is ready.
Quick and delicious sabzi is ready.
