Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Quinoa kofta curry - quinoa and potato balls in a rich curry

#quinoa #QuinoaBallsInCurry #QuinoaKoftaCurry #IndianVeganCurry #SimiJoisPhotography

I lift my head from my i-pad at the sound of the doorbell, teen is back from school. I heat the kofta curry and make hot chapattis as she narrates her day at school, she flicks her long straight hair from her forehead and I tell her to tie her hair before it dips in the curry . Déjà vu….. it seems like yesterday when in my gray school uniform I walk back home in anticipation of a hot yummy lunch. It’s kofta - my favorite, with hot chapatis, it’s not quinoa, I did not know quinoa then ..it’s bottle gourd kofta dunked in delicious curry. Hot chapatis, straight from the griddle to the plate.   My mother asking me to tie my hair else it will be swimming in the curry and me carelessly tossing my long (then) tresses. Twenty plus years,  it’s strange how we see our reflection in our children. I have a bitter-sweet feeling as I serve her hot chapati from the griddle, just like my mom did. I miss being a teen, running to my mother, confiding in her and eating food made by her …at the same time enjoying every moment of being a home maker. Making hot food, being there, listening to my teen’s stories of her school …life is indeed a full circle. 

It’s amazing how food connects us. It’s called comfort food for more reasons than one, I think more than anything it just fills your soul. Twenty years ago as a teen school girl if my mom had told me this, I would have laughed, “ t taste great, so it’s the world’s greatest comfort food". I can only smile at that younger me. You are truly what you eat, eat mindfully. Food is more than a meal at the table, it’s memories, it’s a connection, it’s a relationship that you make with your loved ones as you share your meal. It is the best part of the day. 

#quinoa #QuinoaBallsInCurry #QuinoaKoftaCurry #IndianVeganCurry #SimiJoisPhotography


 Kofta

1/2 cup quinoa
1 potato
1 inch grated ginger
cilatro finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
salt to taste
1-2 tsp panko bread crumbs 
4-5 tbsp oil

Cook the quinoa: one part quinoa and two parts water. Keep water to boil and add quinoa, leave sit at sim till it is cooked. Add mashed cooked potatoes, ginger, cumin, chili, salt and bread crumbs and make small balls. Shallow fry on the gas stove with 4-5 tbsp oil. Or roast in oven. I have seen working on stove top is faster and better. Keep aside.

Curry 

1 medium red onion
1 medium ripe tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper
2 inch ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp oil
1tsp cumin seed
2 tsp all purpose masala - recipe here or 1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar
10 pistachio 
salt to taste

Blend onion, tomato, red bell pepper ginger, keep aside.

For tomatoes, if you need to remove skin before blending, poke a skewer or fork, rotate it over an open flame, the skin will shrink and tear and will be easy to peel off once it’s a bit cool. Same for red bell pepper 

Blend pistachio into fine paste. 

Take oil in a a saucepan, heat, add cumin, let it splatter, add the ginger-onion-tomato paste and roast till it starts leaving sides,  let it simmer till thick. Add pistachio paste.

Now add multipurpose masala, cumin powder, salt, turmeric and salt to taste. If you need it a bit spicy, add red chili powder, roast for a minute or two.

Add 2 cups of water and add the kofta. Bring to a boil, add chopped cilantro for garnish. Add the kofta just before serving. 

The red bell pepper adds the nice rich red color to the curry. 
Serve with puris, naan or cumin rice.


#quinoa #QuinoaBallsInCurry #QuinoaKoftaCurry #IndianVeganCurry #SimiJoisPhotography

#quinoa #QuinoaBallsInCurry #QuinoaKoftaCurry #IndianVeganCurry #SimiJoisPhotography

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18 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your post and it took me back to my early teens.. While my mother lives in the other part of the world, I miss her terribly and it's the same bitter-sweet feeling that I get when I think about my mom. Yes, you are right. homemade food is not just food, it is emotions, full of life and becomes great memories with years. As always, great pics and I love the second pic. Thanks Simi.

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  2. LOVED reading your post Simi. And I love your pictures.

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  3. A mouthwatering and original curry. Lovely moody pictures.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  4. Loved reading your post. .lovely pics

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  5. Lovely curry Simi and such beautiful pics :-)

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  6. lovely tempting gravy! love that color of the dish too.. yum!

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  7. I do bake Quinoa veggie balls and freeze them to serve later as a after school snack for kids. Quinoa is so versatile. I loved the idea of making kofta curry out of them.

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  8. 'It fills your soul'----wonderful phrase. When it is associated with the connecting memories that you are talking about---indeed it does fill one's soul. However having said that---Wow your daughter gets some magnificent after school food! Lucky her!

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  9. What beautiful food! And I loved reading your description of watching your teen + remembering doing the same yourself. I have a 1.5 year old daughter, so I know those days are coming for me, too! =)

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  10. Beautifully written!! I remember eating those lauki koftas with hot rotis while growing up. Now all I want are these and addition of quinoa sounds lovely :)

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  11. This curry is absolutely gorgeous! I love your photos and this post!

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  12. what a cool recipe and lovely meal to come from school to

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  13. Tried paneer with this gravy..loved it! Thanks for the recipe :)

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  14. I just made a batch of these and they are so good! I was pretty reserved in my expectations because I’m not usually a major tempeh lover, but they taste really really great.

    Rowena
    Believe it, Houston TX Mesothelioma Lawyer

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  15. I would like to make these and I will bake them in the oven. What is the temperature and for how long? Also, what size should the kofta be, and how many will this recipe make?

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    Replies
    1. I have tried to oven bake these and prefer the shallow fry texture. If you do bake them you will need to preheat oven to 325F and bake for 25-30 min and constantly rotating them as you need an even browning - I was not happy with the browning in the oven.
      Size of kofta - little smaller than tennis balls
      It makes 8-10

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hugs!
simi

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