Go Back Email Link

LAKNAVI KOFTA CURRY

mayurisjikoni
Laknavi Kofta Curry is fried potato and greens dumplings in a rich creamy sauce that is made using yogurt, milk and cream. This delicious, flavourful, creamy curry is quite different from the usual tomato onion based sauces or curries. Laknavi refers to Lucknow.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course, Main Meal
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

FOR THE KOFTAS

  • 4 medium potatoes boiled and mashed approx 500g
  • ¾ cup spinach finely chopped
  • ¾ cup fresh coriander finely chopped
  • ½ cup fenugreek leaves finely chopped
  • 2 to 4 tbsp chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp green chilli paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp salt

FOR THE GRAVY/SAUCE

  • 1 cup onion minced
  • 1 cup fresh plain yogurt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp fresh cream
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp ghee clarified butter
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 10 to 12 cashew nuts
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 2 tbsp melon or sunflower seeds
  • 1 tsp green chilli paste
  • ½ - ¾ tsp salt

FOR GARNISHING

  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
  • oil for deep frying

Instructions
 

PREPARATION OF KOFTAS

  • Peel and mash the boiled potatoes.
  • Add rest of the ingredients for the koftas and mix well.
  • Grease your hands with oil.Take about a teaspoonful of the mixture and make them into oval shapes or round.
  • Heat the oil for frying over medium heat. When it is ready, fry the koftas till they appear light brown in colour. Keep them on the side till required.

PREPARATION OF GRAVY/SAUCE

  • Process the cashew nuts, poppy seeds and sunflower/melon seeds into a coarse powder.
  • Heat ghee and oil in a wide pan. When it is hot, add the onion paste and stir fry till it begins to turn slightly brown.
  • Make sure you cook it over low heat for at least 5 minutes, stirring frequently. You don't want the gravy to taste of raw onion.
  • Add the garlic paste and stir fry for a few seconds.
  • Add the ginger and chilli paste. Mix well.
  • Add the turmeric powder and the cashew nut powder mixture.
  • Stir fry for a few seconds. Add salt.
  • Add the yogurt and milk. Keep stirring till the gravy begins to thicken.
  • Add the cream and let the gravy simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Stir is occasionally.
  • Add the koftas and garnish with chopped coriander before serving with naans, parathas, chappati or rice.

Notes

  • Don't leave the mixed kofta mixture. Make them immediately as the greens will turn it watery.
  • If the kofta mixture is too soft, add more flour.
  • To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a very tiny piece of the kofta into the oil. it should come up immediately.
  • If the koftas separate while frying, add a bit more flour.
  • Prepare the gravy and koftas in advance. Heat the gravy well before serving.
  • Add koftas just before serving.
  • Leftover gravy becomes very thick. Just add a little milk or water when heating it up.
  • Use oil instead of ghee or use both.
  • Make sure that the chopped spinach, fenugreek and coriander are not watery. Dry them on a kitchen towel.
Keyword laknavi kofta curry, lucknowi koft curry, lucknowi veg kofta curry