Cabbage Kofta Curry – with a healthy twist

‘Kofta’ in any form makes me drool!! 😀 I have mentioned several times that any curry in the form of dumplings or patties becomes my favorite instantly. You can check out some of my kofta recipes here – Restaurant style Malai Kofta, Aloo Kofta.

Today, I share with you a healthier form of kofta using cabbage. The traditional cabbage koftas are made using besan/chickpea flour for the patties and deep-fried in oil. But to avoid both, in my recipe I added oats instead of besan and shallow-fried them. Actually I used only a tsp of oil to fry them too, isn’t that wonderful 🙂 So, you can have koftas with a healthy and fibre-rich oats and less oil too !! Try it out soon 🙂

Serves: 2 Makes: 15 koftas

Cooking time: 20 mins Preparation time: 10 mins

For kofta

Cabbage – ½ cup, shredded

Unflavored oats – ¼ cup (blended to a smooth powder)

Onions – 1 small (finely chopped)

Green chili – 2 (very finely chopped)

Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

Dry mango powder/amchur – 1 tsp

Cumin/jeera powder – 1 tsp

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (very finely chopped)

Lemon juice – 1 tsp, optional

Mint leaves/pudina – about 10 leaves (finely chopped, optional)

Salt – to taste

Oil – to shallow-fry

For gravy

Tomatoes – 1 cup (blended to a smooth paste)

Onion – ½ cup (finely chopped)

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom/elaichi, mace, peppercorns) – 1 tbsp, total

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Fennel powder/saunf powder – ¼ tsp, optional

Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Fresh cream/thick curd – 2 tbsp

Kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves – 1 tsp, optional

Coriander leaves – to garnish

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Preparing koftas:

1. In a pan, add the cabbage and enough salt. Mix well and cook covered on a low heat till the vegetable is cooked. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool.
2. To this add all the ingredients under ‘for kofta’ except oil and combine well. Let the mixture sit for atleast 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, mix the mixture well (the mixture would have tightened up a bit). If it is too sticky, add more oats powder and if too dry add a tsp of water.
4. Wet your hands and prepare balls out of the mixture.
5. Shallow-fry them till they turn golden brown on all sides. Set aside.

Preparing the curry:

1. In a pan, heat oil and add the whole garam masala and cumin seeds. Let them change color and leave a nice aroma.
2. Then add the onions and fry till it turns translucent.
3. Add the tomato paste and fry on a medium-high heat for few seconds.
4. Add the cumin-coriander, red chili, fennel and turmeric powders. Fry for another minute.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add enough salt, cream/curd, kasoori methi, garam masala powder and combine well. Add water as per the consistency you want and cook covered for 2-3 minutes.
6. Then add the koftas and simmer for 2 more minutes.
7. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves before serving..!!!

Note:

1. You may add flavored oats too for this recipe, but adjust the flavors accordingly.
2. The koftas go well with any basic gravy like malai, cashew, curd etc.

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