Shaam Savera Kofta

A favourite Indian recipe with a vegetable that is Indian in origin.

To serve: 4
Ingredients

For kofta 2 medium sized Spinach (bunches) 2 Green chilli (finely chopped) 6-8 cloves Garlic (finely chopped) 3 tbsps Corn starch Salt
to taste 125 gms Cottage cheese (paneer, grated) Oil to deep fry For tomato gravy 3 tbsps Butter 6 Clove 4 Green cardamom 1 Bay leaf 2 tsps Ginger paste 2 tsps Garlic paste 2 Green chilli (finely chopped) 2 cups Tomato puree 1 tbsp Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder Salt to taste 3 tbsps Sugar (or honey) 1/2 tsp Dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) 1 cup Fresh cream

Method
Clean, trim and wash spinach in plenty of running water. Blanch in boiling hot water for two to three minutes and refresh in cold water. Squeeze out water and chop finely. Mix the spinach, green chillies, garlic, cornstarch and salt to taste well. Divide into twelve equal portions. Add salt to taste to grated cottage cheese and mash well. Divide into twelve equal balls. Take spinach portions, flatten it on your palm and stuff cottage cheese balls in it. Shape into a ball. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry balls in moderately hot oil for five minutes. Drain onto an absorbent paper and keep aside. For gravy, heat butter in a pan, add cloves, green cardamoms and bay leaf. When they crackle, add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Cook for two minutes. Add tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt and one cup of water. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add sugar or honey. Crush kasoori methi and add it to the gravy. Stir in fresh cream. Serve koftas, halved and placed on a bed of tomato gravy. Do not boil koftas in the gravy as they may break.