Vegetarian Nargisi Kofta Gravy

 

Nargisi Kofta!! Originally this dish is stuffed with egg and covered with shell of kheema. I just came across this dish very recently, when a friend of mine posted this on a Facebook group. I got so tempted and wanted to try a vegetarian version of it. A lot of ideas were running in my mind as how to prepare it fully vegetarian and how to make it look like an egg stuffed inside.
So, here is my own version of vegetarian Nargisi Kofta Gravy. It is a little time consuming, but totally worth the each second you spend on it. After frying the koftas, when you cut open, you will be surprised to see that it looks just like an egg stuffed inside. Even my hubby did not know that it was paneer.
Just to add a little fiber, I added boiled and mashed cow peas for the outer layer.
This Hyderabadi  dish has the ability to enlighten your guests.

Ingredients

For the Nargisi Koftas

(For the inner vegetarian egg)

• Paneer - 1 cup, mashed
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

(For the outer layer)

• Potato - 3 big, boiled, peeled and mashed
• Cowpeas/ black eyed beans - 1 cup, boiled and mashed
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala- 1 tsp
• Corn flour - 1 tblspn
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Corn flour mixed in water - 2 tblspn cornflour mixed in 1 tblspn water
•  Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
• Oil for deep frying

For the Kofta Gravy

To Grind

• Onion - 2, big, sliced
• Tomato -  2 big,diced
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tblspn
• Green chillies- 2 or more according to your spice preference
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
• Cardamom - 2 nos
• Cloves - 2 nos
• Star anise - 1 no
• Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Cashews - 5 or 6
• Almonds - 5 or r
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup, chopped

Other Ingredients

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Tomato puree- 1 tblspn
• Dried fenugreek leaves- 1 tsp, crushed
• Yogurt - 1 tblspn
• Cream - 1 tblspn
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala/kitchen king masala powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

• For the Nargisi koftas
• Soak the cowpeas/ black eyed peas for atleast 3 hours. Boil and run in a mixer. Grind it coarsely.

• Mash the paneer and divide in to two portions @ 3:1 ratio. Let us name the smaller portion as A and the bigger portion as B

• Now, take A, add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well. Divide in to small gooseberry sized portions. I got 3 out of it. Turmeric powder is added to get the yellow colour to resemble like egg yolk

 



 

• Now take the B, add salt and divide the portions little bigger than A. This is to look like egg whites

 

• Now, take a ball from B(white), flaten it with your fingers.

• Place a ball from A(yellow) in the centre.

• Bring all the edges together inorder to seal it. Make it oval shape.

• Repeat the same for all 3 or how much ever you have.

• Now, work on the outer layer.
• Combine the mashed potatoes, cowpeas, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala.

 

• Add the onions and mix well.

 

• Divide in to 3 big portions (or how much ever vegetarian eggs you have)

• Flaten it using your fingers

• Place the vegetarian egg in the centre.

• Bring all the edges together in order to seal it.

• It will now look like Ostrich eggs

• Keep your corn slurry ready

• Keep your bread crumbs ready

• Dip one ball in corn slurry. Make sure to coat all the side

• Roll it in the bread crumbs, so that the bread crumbs sticks on all the sides

• Repeat the same for all.

• Now, deep fry all the koftas until it is golden brown in colour from all the sides.

• Keep it aside to cool. Do not cut it until it cools down completely.

 

For the Kofta Gravy

To Grind

• Heat oil in a pan. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and star anise
• Add cashews, almonds,onions, green chillies and ginger garlic paste. 
• Fry till onion becomes translucent. Add salt.
• Now add the tomatoes.
• Saute till tomatoes turn mushy.
• Turn off the heat and add chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves.
• Allow it to cool and blend it to a smooth paste.
• Keep aside

How to proceed?

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground onion and tomato paste and water. Add sugar. Allow it to boil. Add all the spice powders. Chilli, coriander, cumin and kitchen king masala powder.
• Add the crushed dried fenugreek leaves.
• Add water. Cover the lid and allow it to boil for 15 minutes in a medium heat. Keep stirring occasionally inorder to avoid burning at the bottom.
• The mixture will splutter. So be careful. Open the lid and add beaten yogurt.
• Add the cream. Allow it to come to one boil. Check the seasoning and add accordingly.
• Turn off the heat. Cover the lid and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
• When the koftas have cooled down completely, cut them in to halves or any number of portions.
• The stuffing will be just like egg and nobody, until said will come to know it.

• When you are ready to serve, tranfer the gravy to a serving dish and add the cut koftas. Do not add the koftas before hand, as it will become very soggy. 

 

Potato Base Vegetable Pizza

Potato!!!!!!!!!!! My face will brighten up if I see potato on my dining table, from my childhood. I love it so much. No matter what you cook with this vegetable, I just go crazy ;)
Same way, I love pizza. Who doesn't love it???? From kids to any age group, pizza is one of the most liked food by all.
So here is my twisted version of pizza, with a potato base.

 Ingredients

Fot the Potato Base

• Potato - 4 big, skin peeled and sliced in to thin rounds
• Corn flour - 2 tblspn
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper - 2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp

For the Pizza filling

Marinara sauce - 1/2 cup
Vegetables of your choice cut thinly
Mixed Italian herbs - to sprinkle
Grated cheese of your choice
Salt - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp

Method

• Squeeze out any water from the sliced potatoes
• In a bowl, mix together sliced potatoes, salt, pepper, cornflour and oil.

• Mix well.

• Grease a cake tin with oil. Place a butter paper in the bottom. Arrange the potato slices on the bottom and sides. Make sure there are no gaps.

• Bake in the pre-heated oven @200 deg C for about 30 minutes or until you see the potatoes on the sides turn golden brown in colour.

• Remove from the oven. Run your knife through the edges to separate the potatoes sticking on the tin.
• Now start filling for pizzas
• Spread a generous amount of pizza sauce.

• Sprinkle a very little of cheese

• Top with your favorite toppings

• Sprinkle more cheese
• Sprinkle some Italian herbs, salt and pepper.

• Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes @150 deg C, until you see the cheese starts melting.

• Remove from the oven.
• Let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Very carefully, remove from the cake tin.

• Slice and serve 

Eggless Pav Buns

 

Previously, I have already shared a healthy version of pav buns. Today, I am going to show you how I made a soft and fluffy pav buns using maida. I went through a lot of recipes, got to know some tips and implemented on my pav buns. A sticky dough is the main factor in making soft pav buns. Once it is rised well, you can add more flour and knead again.

Please note the measurements and you will never go wrong in making this

Ingredients

• All purpose flour / Maida- 3 cups + more for kneading
• Milk powder - 2 tblspn
• Luke warm water - 1 + 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 2 tblspn
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Unsalted Butter - 3 tblspn (melted)
• Little more butter for greasing

Method

• In a bowl, combine together, luke warm water, yeast and sugar. Mix well and keep it aside for about 5 to 10 minutes. It should froth by then. If not, you must re-start the process again. Make sure your yeast is active. This step is very important. If this goes wrong, the entire process will be an utter failure.
• In another big bowl, combine flour, milk powder and salt. Mix well. Add the melted butter. Mix well until everything is combined.
• Pour the yeast mixture to the flour. Knead it for 15 minutes. It will be very sticky. That is how it should be. Keep scraping your fingers and keep kneading for 15 minutes.
• Form it like a huge mass. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Smear some butter on the dough. Cover with a luke warm wet cloth and rest in a warm place for at least one hour.
• The dough would have tripled in size by now.
• Sprinkle some plain flour and start kneading again. Basically, punch out the air bubbles. The dough need not be sticky now. You can sprinkle around 2 tblspn of flour and knead it in this stage. Also, make sure the dough is soft and not too hard.
• Divide the dough in to 9 to 12 lemon sized portion. Roll it like a ball. Make sure there are no cracks. It should be smooth enough.
• Greasing your baking tray with some butter and arrange these on them. Be sure that there are some gap between each ball.
• Cover again with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes. Each ball would have increased in size.
• Pre-heat the oven @220 deg C
• Brush some melted butter on each balls.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until you see the top portion of each bun becomes golden brown in colour.
• Remove from the oven. Again, brush some melted butter immediately.

• Allow it to cool and use per your preference.
• Nothing can beat the smell of a freshly baked pav.. isn't it???? 
• Made pav bhaji out of these...