Kofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian name for a Meatloaf ! It has a variety of vegetarian versions with Bottle Gourd, Potato, Cabbage, Peas, carrots, corn, Cottage Cheese etc and they go well with Naan/Parathas (Indian FlatBread). The dish is extremely versatile in sense that the ingredients can be spiced up in a whole lot of ways. The star ingredient for the kofta is spiced as per taste buds and rolled in to a particular shape -cylinderical (oblong), spherical (round). They are then grilled or poached or fried or marinated or baked acordingly.These koftas are then served in a hot spicy sauce/gravy.
In this recipe spinach and potatoes are blended with a variety of spices and fuse together for the koftas which then are deep fried and dunked in a green coloured gravy. The dish is hearty as well as exotic and sure to reap praises all over ! The recipe has been taken from 4th Sense cooking and suitably adapted to tingle our taste-buds.
Spinach and Potato Koftas in Green Gravy
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings
Description
Fried balls of spinach and potatoes are simmered in a flavorful green gravy, making a hearty and exotic dish perfect for pairing with flatbreads or rice.
Ingredients
- Spinach (palak) - a small bunch, finely chopped
- Potatoes - 2 large, boiled and mashed
- Bread slices - 3
- Onion - 1, finely chopped
- Green chillies - 2, finely chopped
- Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
- Mango powder - a pinch
- Coriander leaves - a handful, finely chopped
- Salt - to taste
- Oil - for deep frying
For the Gravy
- Spinach - 1 cup (240 ml), blanched and pureed
- Onions - 2, roughly chopped and ground to a fine paste with the whole spices
- Whole spices (cinnamon, mace, cardamom) - a little of each
- Milk - 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
- Red chili powder - to taste
- Turmeric powder - a pinch
- Dry mango powder (aamchur) - 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
- Salt - to taste
- Butter - 2 tsp
Instructions
- Wash the spinach thoroughly and finely chop it. Blanch 1 cup of spinach for the gravy and puree it. Set aside.
- Pressure cook the potatoes until soft. Peel and mash them well.
- Chop the onion, green chillies, and coriander leaves finely.
- Dip the bread slices in water, squeeze out the excess, and mix them with the mashed potatoes.
- Add the chopped spinach, onion, green chillies, garam masala, mango powder, and salt to the potato mixture. Mix well to form a dough.
- Shape the mixture into small balls (koftas).
- Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the koftas until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- For the gravy, grind the roughly chopped onions together with the whole spices (cinnamon, mace, cardamom) into a fine paste.
- Heat the butter in a pan and fry the onion-spice paste until golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and let it sizzle briefly.
- Add the salt, red chili powder, mango powder, garam masala, and turmeric powder. Let the mixture cook for a while.
- Add the spinach puree and milk gradually, stirring continuously. Simmer until the gravy turns thick and creamy.
- Gently add the fried koftas to the gravy just before serving and simmer briefly.
- Serve hot with rotis or rice.
Notes
- For a healthier version, consider baking the koftas instead of frying.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if needed.
- Adjust the spice level by varying the amount of green chillies and red chili powder.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 0
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- Spinach Ricotta Tart
Frequently Asked Questions
What purpose does the soaked bread serve in the kofta mixture?
I dip 3 bread slices in water, squeeze out the excess, then mix them with the mashed potatoes. The soaked bread acts as a binder alongside the potato starch, helping the spinach-and-spice mixture hold together during deep frying without needing eggs — a common vegetarian technique in Indian cooking.
Can I bake the koftas instead of deep frying?
Yes — bake them for a healthier version. The trade-off is a slightly softer exterior rather than a crisp golden shell, but the spinach-spice flavor and the ability to simmer them in the green gravy remain the same.
Why are the koftas added to the gravy at the very end and simmered only briefly?
I add the fried koftas to the finished spinach-pea gravy and simmer for just 5 minutes. Longer simmering would cause them to absorb too much liquid and break apart — the brief simmer lets them soak up the gravy flavor while keeping their shape for serving.
thanks bren !
I’ve never had a spinach gravy before, but this looks delicious. I bet it would pair well with Stonefire Whole Wheat Naan (I have to put the healthy in here somewhere!)