Exotic: Tofu koftas

Didn’t I say there would be more tofu recipes following? So here it is, as promised – something different yet something reasonably healthy for what it is – tofu koftas. Here’s a first look -

And if I say so myself, you’ve got to try this. So here goes -

Ingredients for the kofta	Quantity
1. Tofu	300g, finely mashed
2. Dry spices	1tsp of dhaniya-jeera powder, 1/2 tsp of turmeric, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder and 1/4 tsp of sugar
3. Oil	1 teaspoon
4. Corn flour	2 tablespoons
5. Rice flour	1/2 teaspoon
Ingredients for the gravy	Quantity
1. Onions	2 medium-large, finely chopped
2. Tomatoes	1, medium, finely chopped
3. Tomato paste	1/2 tablespoon
4. Ginger garlic paste	Make fresh equal to 1 tablespoon or use store-bought.
5. Fresh cream	1 tablespoon
6. Green chilli	1, finely chopped
Other	Quantity
1. Oil	For deep frying
2. Coriander	1 sprig for garnishing
3. Jeera	1 tablespoon

The Koftas.

1. Mix all the ingredients for the kofta and knead well with your fingers. Bare in mind that the “dough” should be roughly the consistency of any chapathi dough and not wet at all. If your tofu is refrigerated, I would suggest letting it sit outside for a while to come down to room temperature.

2. Once you’re done, make balls roughly the size of a lemon and coat with corn flour and set aside. Make dumplings from all of the “dough”.

3. Deep fry in oil till golden brown.

So here’s the transformation - Dumplings of tofu set aside for deep frying

 Tofu dumplings after deep frying

I admit it was very tempting to stop here, nuke them with ketchup and just pop them in, piping hot as a snack. Maybe some other time. :)
The Gravy.

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and allow the jeera to sputter once hot.

2. Add the green chillis and the ginger garlic paste to it after lowering the flame (so as to avoid them from sputtering and burning you), whilst stirring constantly.

3. Once the garlic has browned and ginger has cooked, add the onions and stir them in. Add sufficient salt to allow the onion to release its juices and cook well.

4. Once the onions are translucent add the tomatoes and the tomato paste and stir in well. You want the tomatoes to cook well and so let it cook for about 7 minutes while the pieces lose shape and the tomato lets the oil float up.

5. Add some water if the gravy is thickening too much. Now add the dry spices and stir well. Close the lid of the saucepan and allow it to simmer for a while.

6. After about 5 minutes of simmering, open the lid and add in the cream, give it a quick stir and turn off the gas.

Add the koftas to the gravy just before serving. This keeps their crunch intact.

 Pictured here with phulkas.

Serve with hot rotis/parathas/phulkas or good old steamed rice. It’s positively yummy and you won't regret the brief effort you put into it. So, all I have to say is Bon Appétit!