DSC_7120Cabbage kofta… Soft grated cabbage dumplings in rich and creamy gravy makes a stunning vegetarian main course option.  These cabbage dumplings or Kofta as it is called in Hindi can be served in various sauces. Today I am sharing the recipe for Cabbage Kofta in rich cashew and tomato based sauce. This dish will definitely tantalize your taste buds keep you longing for more 🙂DSC_7140

Ingredients:

For making the koftas:

  • 2 cups grated Cabbage (Patta Gobhi/ Bandh Gobhi)
  • 3 ½ to 4 tbsp Chickpea or gram Flour (Besan)
  • ¼ tsp Garam Masala powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder/ lal mirch powder
  • 1 green chili/ hari mirch, finely chopped
  • salt as required
  • oil for deep or shallow frying the koftas

For  the Sauce/ Gravy:

  • 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium sized onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 inch ginger/ adrak, chopped
  • 4-5 garlic/ lahsun, chopped
  • 2 tbsp broken cashews/ kaju
  • 1 tsp cumin/ jeera
  • ¼ or ½ tsp red chili powder/ lal mirch powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder/ haldi
  • 1 tsp coriander powder/ dhania powder
  • ¼ or ½ tsp Garam Masala powder
  • ½ cup cream (optional)
  • 1 tsp Kasuri Methi / Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Optional)
  • 1 cup water or as required
  • 5 or 2 tbsp oil if using fresh oil
  • salt as required
  • A pinch of sugar (optional)

Steps:

  1. Remove the top layer of cabbage and grate it leaving out just the hard core of cabbage at center. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and let it rest for 15 minutes so that excess moisture would come out.IMG_6012
  2. Squeeze any moisture out of the grated cabbage and retain the water (we will use it in the gravy). Add all the ingredients for making the kofta. Mix well and form balls the size of small lemons. Add a lttle more flour if it is too wet to form balls.IMG_6013
  3. Now heat some oil in a frying pan (you can either shallow fry or deep fry the kofta or dumpling) and fry the koftas. First fry one kofta to make sure that they do not break while fryingIMG_6015
  4. Fry till the koftas are golden brown. Drain on a tissue and keep aside.IMG_6016
  5. Make a smooth paste of tomato, green chillies, ginger garlic and cashews.IMG_6017
  6. Remove the extra oil from the pan in which you fried the koftas. Keep around 1.5 or 2 tbsp oil. Heat the oil and fry the cumin first, then add the tomato paste. (Be careful as the paste splutters). If there is too much spluttering, then just cover the pan with a lid but do not cover completely, allow some steam to escape. The spluttering will stop when the mixture thickens. Remove the lid and keep stirring the masala paste.IMG_6019
  7. Add all the spices and salt, mix wellIMG_6020
  8. Stir continuously till the paste reduces in volume and starts leaving oil.IMG_6022
  9. Now add the water that you squeezed out of cabbage and additional water. Let it come to a boil and then add cream and Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves).IMG_6024
  10. Simmer for 5 more minutes, add the cabbage dumplings or Kofta . Garnish with cilantro (dhania patta) and serveDSC_7128DSC_7136