Vegetarian Kofta Curry
Please excuse this moment of reflection. While I stopped my “Corona Kitchen” posts months back, it still felt as though we were living under a cloud of uncertainty. Yes, I had resumed my frequent trips to the supermarket, let down my guard within our pod of friends and took the calculated risk to visit my vaccinated parents while I still was not. Mask wearing, hand washing and sanitizer squirting had become the norm and life was starting to be lived, albeit cautiously. Now two days post-“full” protection, I feel air filling my lungs (pollen-induced sneezes and all) simultaneous with plans starting to dot my calendar. Live music, restaurants, entertaining, travel! I feel more than hopeful, there’s a tangible sense of relief and a relaxation of the tension between my shoulder blades that I didn’t realize I was carrying. I share this because I’m fairly certain that this relief is mostly universal and because hey, this is where I share my feelings, right? There are still things to fear, wrongs to be righted, lessons to be learned but it’s time to reclaim our lives and start living. Let’s take a collective deep breath and get out there!
This recipe could be a fun one for dipping your toes in the water and entertaining friends again. Kofta, in its most simplified definition, is a type of meatball made in India, the Middle East and beyond. They are most often made with meat and can be served as a sandwich in a kebab shop or in a spicy curry, as you’d often find them in India. No surprise that I was drawn to a spicy, saucy vegetarian version that recently appeared in the NYTimes and was raved about by Luisa Weiss of The Wednesday Chef.
Vegetarian Kofta Curry can be adapted, especially if you choose to serve it in your backyard to friends. In that case, I would likely skip the tomato curry sauce and rice and serve the kofta alongside pita or naan bread with tzatziki, hummus, lemon wedges and feta. Lots of ingredients you can easily buy at the market to serve alongside this one interesting homemade star of the show. Simple and delicious. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Kofta Curry
Ingredients
To Make the Vegetarian Kofta
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 2-in piece fresh ginger peeled
- 2 green chiles (such as jalapeño or serrano) stems removed
- 1 14-oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 4 scallions trimmed and chopped
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped, 1 Tbls reserved for garnish
- 1 bunch fresh mint chopped, 1 Tbls reserved for garnish
- 1/2 c bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garam masala plus more for garnish
- 1/2 tsp red chile powder
- 1 tsp sea salt plus more as needed
- 2 Tbls neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed
To Make the Curry (optional)
- 2 Tbls neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 8-10 ripe Roma tomatoes (about 3 pounds) or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes I used canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Black pepper to taste
Serve with (optional)
- steamed white rice
- pita or naan bread
- tzatziki
- hummus
- lemon wedges
- feta cheese
Instructions
For the Kofta
- Put the garlic, ginger and green chiles in a food processor, and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Put half the paste into a large bowl. Set the rest aside.
- Add the beans, spring onions, fresh herbs, bread crumbs, egg, garam masala, chile powder and salt to the large bowl with the paste. Mix well with a fork, mashing up the beans as you go into small pieces.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls (I made 1.5-inch footballs) and arrange on the pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
For the Curry (optional)
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, ginger and chile paste, and sauté until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. If using fresh tomatoes, purée them until smooth in the food processor. Stir the tomato purée or crushed tomatoes, coriander and cumin into the skillet, and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the baked kofta to the skillet, and turn the heat to low. If necessary, add enough water for the liquid to come about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the meatballs, then simmer another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kofta are warmed through and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a light dust of garam masala and some extra herbs.