Alu kofta – Deep fried vegetable balls in tomato sauce
15 medium-sized tomatoes
2 tbs ghee or vegetable oil
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 dried chillies, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
3 tsp salt
5 medium-sized potatoes, washed
1/2 medium-sized cauliflower, washed, trimmed, and separated into flowerets
1 cup (100 g) chick-pea flour
3 tbs chopped fresh coriander or parsley leaves
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup (250 ml) plain yogurt (optional)
Start by making the tomato sauce. Drop the tomatoes into a pot of rapidly boiling water for 15 – 20 seconds. Drain them, and rinse them under cold water. Then peel and mash them. Heat the tablespoon of ghee or vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger, then the dried chillies. Follow with the ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric. Stirfry for a few seconds. Put the tomatoes into the pan, add half the salt, cover, and lower the heat. Cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
While the sauce simmers, peel the potatoes and break up the cauliflower into large flowerets Wash both vegetables thoroughly, then grate them through the large holes of a metal grater. Combine the grated vegetables, the chick-pea flour, 2 tablespoons of the chopped coriander leaves, and all the remaining spices in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. The grated potatoes should give enough moisture to bind the ingredients together. Knead the mixture for 2 minutes, then form it into 20 – 30 small balls. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil until almost smoking, and drop in the vegetable balls. Deep-fry them for 4 – 5 minutes until they are uniformly goldenbrown and crisp. Then drain them.
If you use yogurt, stir it into the tomato sauce and allow the sauce to heat for 2 minutes. Put the kofta balls in a serving bowl and cover them with the hot sauce. Garnish with the remaining chopped fresh coriander or parsley leaves.
Bhari hui sabji – Stuffed vegetables
6 medium-large tomatoes, or 6 medium-small green bell peppers, or 6 medium-small eggplants
Wash and dry the tomatoes, then cut a „lid“ off the top of each. Scoop out the pulp and force it through a strainer. Discard the seeds and save the pulp, to be used in the filling. Sprinkle some salt inside the tomato shells and turn them upside-down to drain.
Do the same with the peppers, but discard their pulp. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp, leaving a thick shell. Chop the eggplant pulp into tiny pieces and fry it in a small quantity of ghee or oil until it is tender. Mash it and use it in any of the fillings.