Paneer Kofthas in Gravy (Low fat)

I have always been fascinated by kofthas and my first encounter with kofthas was around 9 years ago when I made malai koftha. The long list of ingredients and the process seemed never ending given the fact that I was a newbie in the kitchen and multitasking was a big no no. Fast forward to a few years later .. everything seems to be simple thanks to multitasking .. well with exceptions of course :). These days I seem to be making a layout of the order of things for the dish, way before I start making it and that helps out tremendously. 

Although making kofthas is a laborious task for newbies, some tips will make life simpler. Of course using store bought paneer cuts one step completely, but if you choose to make your own paneer, then make it ahead  and refrigerate it. Make the kofthas the previous day itself. They also freeze well if you want to make it in bulk. So finally what is left is to make the gravy and pour over the kofthas. It is still a multistep process, but if you try doing everything on the same day along with making a rotis or chapati to go with the kofthas then you will not have much energy left. Of course as you get more acquainted in the kitchen, you can choose to do everything together.

The kofthas are made using the kuzhi paniyaaram pan and we use low fat yogurt instead of cream making this dish a healthy one. Now off to the recipe.

Ingredients - For paste
1/2 tsp oil
1 medium onion
2 tomatoes (use just 1 tomato if you prefer it less tangy)
Small piece of ginger
3 garlic cloves

Ingredients - For gravy
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilly powder
2 tsp coriander powder
Turmeric
Salt
1 tbsp kasturi methi
1/2 cup low fat yogurt
Paneer kofthas

Notes
1. You can also just add paneer pieces or mushrooms to the gravy instead of kofthas.
2. Handle kofthas gently.

Method
Lets start with the paste. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil. Add onion, ginger and garlic.

Saute for 2 minutes. Then add tomatoes.

Cook until tomatoes turn mushy.

Allow to cool and take in a blender.

Blend to a paste. Set aside.

Heat 2 tsp of oil and add the cumin seeds.

Next add the paste.

Saute for 2 minutes and add the powders. (Chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt)

Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Add the kasturi methi.

Next add the yogurt.

Arrange the paneer kofthas in a bowl. I had some leftover kofthas after making Spaghetti with paneer balls. They got transformed into this dish. The recipe for paneer kofthas can be found here.

Pour the gravy over the kofthas. Let it stand for 15-30 minutes.

We had the kofthas with chapatis. They were lip-smacking good. Kofthas are very delicate, so avoid turning them often after pouring the gravy.

Enjoy!

Sending this to Radhika's Lets cook series - subzis for rotis and to HLI - Paneer started by Kalyani.