Courgette kofta curry

By: Chetna Makan

Published: 7 Aug 20
Updated: 25 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Try this Indian kofta curry, a recipe from Chetna Makan’s new cookbook.

Chetna says: “Rest assured, these koftas are much healthier than the usual deep-fried version – and even though they’re cooked in very little oil they still taste great. I love the combination of courgettes and gram flour, too. Enjoy this curry with rice, or make the koftas on their own to serve as canapés or snacks.”

Serves 4
Hands-on time 40 minutes

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Ingredients

- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 1 green chilli, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 1⁄2 tsp sugar (any will do)
- 1⁄2 tsp chilli powder
- 1⁄2 tsp garam masala
- 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi – see Know-how)
- 1 tbsp double cream

FOR THE KOFTAS

2 small courgettes (about 350g total weight)
50g gram flour (chickpea flour, also known as besan)
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp chilli powder
1⁄2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder – see Know-how)
Sunflower oil for frying

Method

Start with the curry. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onions for 10-12 minutes on a low-medium heat until deep golden brown. Add the green chilli, garlic and ginger, then cook for another minute.
Add the tomatoes and tomato purée, then cover and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then whizz it in a blender. Return it to the same pan, then add 250ml water, the salt, sugar and all the spices. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the koftas. Grate the courgettes and, using your hands, squeeze out the excess liquid (discard). Put the grated courgettes in a bowl with the gram flour, salt, chilli powder and amchoor, then mix well – the mixture will bind itself as you stir.
Heat a frying pan or sauté pan and add a splash of oil. Shape the kofta mixture into 8 balls, then lightly press them into patties. Fry slowly, in batches, on a low heat for 5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through – don’t try to use a high heat as they’ll quickly burn. Ripple the cream through the curry, then pour it into serving bowls and place the cooked kofta on top. Serve with steamed rice.

This recipe is from Chetna’s Healthy Indian: Vegetarian by Chetna Makan
(Mitchell Beazley £20). You can order the hardback here.

Recipe from August 2020 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 181kcals
Fat: 8.8g (2.1g saturated)
Protein: 5.8g
Carbohydrates: 17.2g (8.9g sugars)
Fibre: 4.9g
Salt: 1.3g

delicious. tips

The curry will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Dried fenugreek leaves have a pungent aroma and a bitter but addictive flavour. Buy them at large Tesco stores, theasiancookshop.co.uk and Asian supermarkets, where they may be sold as kasuri methi – or use a few chopped celery leaves.

Amchoor is a powder made from dried unripe mangos – it has a citrus flavour and is used to add sourness to recipes without adding moisture. Buy it at larger supermarkets, Asian supermarkets, theasiancookshop.co.uk or Ocado.

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