Shaam Savera Kofta

Ingredients

• 2 medium bundlesSpinach (palak), washed and chopped
• 2 tspGreen chillies, minced
• 125 gPaneer
• 3 tbspButter
• 2Boiled potatoes, mashed
• 4Bread slices
• 3 tbspCornflour
• for deep fryingOil
• 6–7Tomatoes
• 1 tspBesan (gram flour)
• 1/4 cupWhisked yoghurt
• 2 tbspCashew powder
• 2 tbspMilk powder
• 1/4 tspRed chilli powder
• 1 tbspSugar
• 1/4 cupFresh cream
• 2 tbspTomato ketchup
• 1 tbspCumin powder
• 2 tbspTandoori masala
• to tasteSalt
• a handfulCoriander leaves
• 1Onion, chopped
• 1 tspAjwain (carom seeds)
• 1 tspGinger-garlic paste

Method

1. 1

   Mash the boiled potatoes with crumbled bread and cornflour to a stiff dough. Salt lightly.

2. 2

   Crush the paneer and mix with green chilli, salt and a little chopped coriander — this is the white centre.

3. 3

   Blanch the spinach 30 seconds in salted water, shock in cold water, drain and squeeze dry. Chop very fine and bind with a tablespoon of cornflour.

4. 4

   Take a small portion of the potato dough, flatten on your palm, place a spoon of paneer in the centre and seal into a ball. Coat each ball in the spinach mix.

5. 5

   Deep-fry the koftas in medium-hot oil until the spinach jacket sets and turns vivid green. Drain on paper.

6. 6

   Gravy: blanch the tomatoes, peel and blend smooth. Stir in besan, yoghurt, cashew powder, milk powder, cream, tomato ketchup, tandoori masala, cumin powder, chilli powder, sugar and salt into a thick paste.

7. 7

   In a pan, sizzle ajwain in butter, add chopped onion and ginger-garlic paste; cook till soft. Pour in the gravy paste and simmer 6–8 minutes until glossy and oil-separated.

8. 8

   Just before serving, halve each kofta with a sharp knife to show the white paneer centre, and rest them cut-side-up in the gravy. Drizzle cream and serve immediately.