I always rely on my ever-dependable husband to bail me out whenever I find myself falling short of recipes. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't do that as his last guest post wasn't too long ago. The idea for this guest post came from my sister. Like most families, we have a string of WhatsApp groups where we share everything under the sun 😝 One of those groups is dedicated solely to culinary pursuits and that is the one I am most interested in (for obvious reasons). So, my SIL, Amritha, shared this recipe along with positive feedback and it caught most of our attention immediately.
I love anything and everything to do with spinach and well, koftas, what can I say - I can eat those bad boys all on their own in a single sitting. Give me a kofta-based curry and I'd shamelessly ask for an entire basket of Indian flatbread and then maybe some more 😁
My family back home gave this recipe a huge thumbs up and although I didn't have the good fortune of tasting it myself, I'm pretty sure it was legit. This recipe has ingredients that are commonly available in any Indian kitchen, comes together easily, has the goodness of spinach and looks very appetizing. Soft melt-in-the-mouth koftas served in an aromatic, vibrant and luscious gravy is an irresistible dish that will have your family or guests licking their fingers.
Thank you Ammu for doing this for me. I owe you big time 🙏
So, please show my sista some love and head to the kitchen to make this side dish for yourself. I need to do it too and pronto. You can catch my latest updates on Facebook or Instagram.
Till next time 🙋
Corn Koftas in Palak (Spinach) Gravy
Preparation time: 20 min; Cooking time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Serves: 4
Recipe category: Side dish/ North Indian
Recipe level: Easy
Recipe source: Adapted from here
Ingredients:
For the corn koftas:
1.5 cups corn kernels or 2 ears of fresh corn
3 garlic cloves
1 green chilli
Salt to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice flour
Oil for deep frying
For the palak gravy:
5 cups fresh palak (spinach leaves), washed thoroughly and roughly chopped
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 green chillies, minced
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp jeera powder (cumin powder)
Salt to taste
3/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
3 tbsp oil or ghee
Method:
1. Thaw the frozen corn kernels in hot water, drain the water and dry the corn kernels thoroughly on paper towels. Mince along with garlic, green chilli and salt in a food processor. Keep it aside to allow the mixture to dry.
If using fresh corn, grate the corn from the cobs or use a food processor to coarsely crush corn kernels. Use a sieve to drain off the excess corn milk. In a little oil, fry the corn mixture with the garlic, green chilli and salt until the moisture has evaporated. If it persists, you can mix in some breadcrumbs.
2. Take palak (spinach leaves), and simmer it in boiling water to which a little sugar and salt have been added for 3 mins uncovered. Switch off the flame and let it sit for 2 mins again uncovered. Now immediately place it in a bowl of ice cold water. Drain the water and puree the palak in a blender (no need to add additional water).
This cooking method ensures that the palak retains its bright green color.
3. Heat oil in a deep-bottomed pan. Add onions and sauté until it turns golden brown. Now add ginger-garlic paste and minced green chillies and saute until the raw smell disappears. Add in the tomatoes and let it cook till it turns mushy.
4. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, sugar and sauté for two minutes.
5. Add in the palak puree and let it cook till the raw smell of palak is no longer there.
6. Now turn the heat off and add fresh cream and sprinkle kasuri methi. Keep aside.
7. To make the koftas, keep oil for deep frying ready. Make small balls out of the corn mixture and dip it in the corn flour and rice flour mixture (add water to make a thin paste). Roll this on bread crumbs and deep fry until it turns golden brown. This mixture will yield up to 7-8 koftas.
8. Dunk the koftas in the palak gravy just before serving. Top off with some more fresh cream and garnish with julienned fresh ginger if desired. Serve warm alongside any Indian flatbread, a simple pulao or steamed basmati rice.
Notes:
Cheers,
Megha
Till next time 🙋
Corn Koftas in Palak (Spinach) Gravy
Preparation time: 20 min; Cooking time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Serves: 4
Recipe category: Side dish/ North Indian
Recipe level: Easy
Recipe source: Adapted from here
Ingredients:
For the corn koftas:
1.5 cups corn kernels or 2 ears of fresh corn
3 garlic cloves
1 green chilli
Salt to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice flour
Oil for deep frying
For the palak gravy:
5 cups fresh palak (spinach leaves), washed thoroughly and roughly chopped
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 green chillies, minced
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp jeera powder (cumin powder)
Salt to taste
3/4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
3 tbsp oil or ghee
Method:
1. Thaw the frozen corn kernels in hot water, drain the water and dry the corn kernels thoroughly on paper towels. Mince along with garlic, green chilli and salt in a food processor. Keep it aside to allow the mixture to dry.
If using fresh corn, grate the corn from the cobs or use a food processor to coarsely crush corn kernels. Use a sieve to drain off the excess corn milk. In a little oil, fry the corn mixture with the garlic, green chilli and salt until the moisture has evaporated. If it persists, you can mix in some breadcrumbs.
2. Take palak (spinach leaves), and simmer it in boiling water to which a little sugar and salt have been added for 3 mins uncovered. Switch off the flame and let it sit for 2 mins again uncovered. Now immediately place it in a bowl of ice cold water. Drain the water and puree the palak in a blender (no need to add additional water).
This cooking method ensures that the palak retains its bright green color.
3. Heat oil in a deep-bottomed pan. Add onions and sauté until it turns golden brown. Now add ginger-garlic paste and minced green chillies and saute until the raw smell disappears. Add in the tomatoes and let it cook till it turns mushy.
4. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, sugar and sauté for two minutes.
5. Add in the palak puree and let it cook till the raw smell of palak is no longer there.
6. Now turn the heat off and add fresh cream and sprinkle kasuri methi. Keep aside.
7. To make the koftas, keep oil for deep frying ready. Make small balls out of the corn mixture and dip it in the corn flour and rice flour mixture (add water to make a thin paste). Roll this on bread crumbs and deep fry until it turns golden brown. This mixture will yield up to 7-8 koftas.
8. Dunk the koftas in the palak gravy just before serving. Top off with some more fresh cream and garnish with julienned fresh ginger if desired. Serve warm alongside any Indian flatbread, a simple pulao or steamed basmati rice.
Notes:
- Make sure your corn mixture is dry enough so that the koftas do not open up while deep frying. If it does, you can dry roast corn mixture in a pan for a minute
- Warming the kasoori methi before adding it to the gravy enhances its flavour
- Add the koftas to the palak gravy just before serving as the koftas tend to absorb the curry, soften and turn mushy
- Taste the curry and adjust the seasonings before you add in the koftas otherwise the delicate koftas may break apart during mixing
I hope you liked this guest post.
If you have a tried and tested, fabulous recipe that you would like to share with me and my readers then please get in touch with me 😊 I would be more than happy to feature you as a guest.
Cheers,
Megha
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