Veg Kofta Curry Recipe - the koftas are deep fried balls made from mixed vegetables and they are added into the creamy, delicious, restaurant style gravy.
I have already shared the detailed post on preparing the veg kofta. These are on their own too good as a starter or appetizer along with chutney. Or go one step further and dunk them into the gravy, make mixed vegetable kofta curry and serve as a main course.
Just like other restaurant style gravy dishes, this one is also rich and indulging. This should be made on special occasions or festivals or for guests or parties.
Here I have garnished fried cashew almonds tempering. It makes it more delicious, rich and eye catching.
Similar to any kofta curry dishes, this veg kofta curry is also time consuming dish. But if you plan ahead and work few tasks simultaneously it can be less time consuming. Follow the steps I have mentioned below, it will be ready in just one hour.
Make vegetable kofta curry for party or bigger crowd:
- Shape the kofta balls a day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Second day, bring it to the room temperature and deep fry.
- Also make the gravy ahead of time and store in separate container. The next day reheat.
- If you do not have time to fry the kofta the same day. You can fry few days before, cool completely and store in ziplock bag in the freezer. Defrost them in 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) preheated oven for 10 minutes. Add into re-heated gravy and garnish with fried cashews almonds.
Check out other similar recipes
Lauki kofta recipe // Malai kofta recipe
How to make Veg Kofta Curry Recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) First steam pressure cook the vegetables for koftas. For that take a glassful of water in a pressure cooker and then put the steamer rack inside. Add all the veggies (carrot, peas, potatoes, cauliflower, beans) in the steamer pan. Make sure that steamer pan is not touching the water.
2) Cover the cooker with lid, put the weight on and cook for 2 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure go down by itself and then open the lid. Let veggies cool down slightly.
3) While the veggies are cooking and cooling, let’s make gravy. Take chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chili in a blender along with ½ cup of water.
4) And grind into smooth puree. NOTE: if you want to avoid the pungent smell or burning eye effect from the onions, then soak chopped onions in warm water for 10-15 minutes before grinding.
5) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black cardamoms and green cardamoms. Saute for a minute or till you get the nice aroma of the spices.
6) Then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
7) Now add prepared onion paste.
8) Mix and let it simmer.
9) While it is cooking, take tomatoes into the same grinder jar and make smooth puree.
10) The onion paste is cooked and become like a thick paste.
11) Now add pureed tomatoes.
12) Mix well and continue cooking.
13) While simmering if it splutters a lot then you can partially cover the pan. Do stir in between and make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.
14) Cook till it becomes thick paste and it leaves the sides of the pan.
15) Now add salt and all the spice powders (red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder).
16) Mix well and cook for a minute.
17) Now add water to make gravy consistency.
18) Stir well and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
19) Now add kasoori methi and garam masala.
20) Mix well.
21) Lastly add heavy cream.
22) Mix and bring it to a boil then turn off the stove. Keep it covered till we make koftas.
23) Now the veggies have cooled down, remove it to a bowl and mash them using potato masher.
24) Keep them chunky, do not mash completely.
25) Now add remaining kofta ingredients (green chili, cilantro, salt, red chili powder, garam masala, chaat masala).
26) Also add besan.
27) Mix well, the mixture is sticky, but not too soft. If it looks too wet and soft then you can add more besan.
28) Now grease your both palm and shape into 12 equal balls.
29) Heat the oil for deep frying on medium heat. Once hot slide few koftas in and fry till they are golden brown from all sides.
30) Once fried remove them to a paper towel lined plate. Similarly fry rest of them.
31) Now at the time of serving reheat the gravy. Add fried koftas in.
32) On other side, in a small tadka pan heat ghee on medium heat. Once hot add almonds and cashews.
33) Fry till they are light golden brown.
34) Immediately pour into the mixed vegetable kofta curry. This veg kofta curry is ready to serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve veg kofta curry with lachha paratha, plain naan, garlic naan or kulcha. Have onion lachha and salted lassi or chaas on side to have a complete meal. It can be served with jeera rice or matar pulao.
Veg Kofta Curry Recipe (Restaurant Style Mixed Vegetable Kofta Curry)
Ingredients
For 2 different Pastes:
- 2 medium or 2 cups Red onion roughly chopped
- 2 Green chili chopped
- 1 inch Ginger chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic chopped
- ½ cup Water
- 4 large or 3 cups Tomato roughly chopped
Ingredients for Veg Kofta Curry Recipe:
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 Black cardamom
- 4 Green cardamoms
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Water to make gravy consistency
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 2 teaspoons Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crush between your palm before adding
- ⅓ cup Heavy whipping cream or fresh cream or malai
For tempering:
- 2 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 10-12 Cashew nuts halved
- 10-12 Almonds halved
For Veg koftas:
- ¾ cup Carrot chopped
- ½ cup Green peas
- ½ cup Potatoes peeled and cubed
- ¾ cup Cauliflower (gobi) cut into florets
- ½ cup Green beans (French beans) chopped
- 1 Green chili chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- ½ teaspoon Chaat masala
- 5 tablespoons Besan (gram flour) more or less as required
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
Preparation:
- For koftas, steam pressure cook the vegetable for 2 whistles on medium heat. Or you can cook them in microwave or steam them in steamer. Let them cool down.
- Meantime, take onion, ginger, garlic and green chili along with little water in a grinder and make smooth paste. Remove it to a bowl and keep it aside.
- In the same grinder, make tomato puree and keep it aside.
Making Veg Kofta Curry Recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat and add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black and green cardamom. Saute for a minute.
- Then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Now add onion paste and cook till it becomes thick paste and no more smells raw.
- Then mix in tomato puree and cook till it becomes thick paste and leave the sides of the pan. Do stir in between and make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.
- Now mix in salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chili powder, cook for a minute.
- Then add water to make gravy and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Then add garam masala and kasoori methi, mix well.
- Lastly add cream and bring to a single boil and turn off the stove.
Making Vegetable Koftas:
- Take cooked vegetables in a bowl and mash them roughly.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix to make sticky yet not too soft mixture.
- Grease your palm and shape into 12 equal sized balls.
- Fry them into hot oil till they are golden brown slightly crisp from all the sides.
- Remove it to a plate.
At the time of serving:
- Reheat the gravy and add koftas in it.
- Heat the ghee in a small tadka pan and fry almonds, cashews in it till they are light golden brown in color.
- Immediately pour into the veg kofta curry and serve.
Becky
We made this tonight.....the step by step pictures are fantastic as it let us know we were doing it right! It was absolutely delicious.....even the kids wolfed it down and my husband who absolutely loves chicken or lamb curry is now converted! Will be adding to the family favourites! Can’t wait to try some more recipes. Thank you 🙂
Kanan
very happy to hear that your family enjoyed it.
Do try other recipes and let me know your feedback.
Happy cooking !!!
Kari
You always make what should be complicated dishes so easy to make. I'm so grateful that you put these recipes up for us to make at home.
Kanan
glad to know that you find them helpful.