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Vegan Coconut Kofta Curry

Vegan Coconut Kofta Curry

When I talk about kofta curries, this vegan coconut kofta curry is not so common as malai kofta and lauki kofta and potato koftas. But I like variations in vegetables and spices. I have made this curry in 2 ways. Here it’s made with regular curry paste which consists of onion, tomatoes, ginger & garlic. In addition other spices adding flavor to the gravy. The 2nd curry base I will post in my further recipe post. This is vegan and gluten-free.

To read about koftas (how to make coconut koftas) read my post on coconut fritters. Recipe here!  As I have metioned earlier these fritters can be taken as snacks/ appetizers or even used in curries. In koftas you may add mashed potatoes or paneer with scraped coconut for the koftas.

One tip: Don’t add koftas to boiling gravy as they might fall apart with high temperature. Just turn off the heat once gravy is cooked. Wait for 5 minutes before adding the soft koftas to the gravy. Add koftas then close the lid for some more time so that all aromas and flavors of spices will get infused with koftas.

Lets make this classic coconut kofta curry.

Print Recipe

Vegan Coconut Kofta Curry

Coconut koftas curry is one delicious dish which goes well with any kind of flat bread or even with rice. This is prepared in tomato & onion base gravy blended with other common spices.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Main Dish, Sabzi & Curry
Cuisine: Asian, Central Indian, East Indian, Indian, North Indian, South Indian, West Indian
Keyword: Easy Less than 30 minutes Recipe, Indian Curry
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: daintykitchen

Ingredients

For Koftas

  • 1 cup grated coconut
  • 1 Onion
  • 2 Garlic pods finely minced
  • 4 tbsp Gram Flour
  • 2 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 Green Chilli
  • 1 cup Oil (for deep frying or shallow frying)

For Gravy

  • 3 medium Onion
  • 2 Tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1/2 tbsp Salt
  • 2 Green Chillies
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
  • 2 tbsp Coriander leaves

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients mentioned for kofta together except oil. Add little water at a time and whisk them well to make a thick dough like batter.
  • Shallow fry or deep fry the koftas in hot oil. flip both sides till light brown in color. Once done remove from oil and keep aside on paper towel.
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute till the pungent aroma is gone.
  • Add pureed onion and tomato and saute till onion is translucent and cooked properly.
  • Add all spices mentioned except aamchur or dry mango powder. Mix them well. Add kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves.
  • Saute and cook on high flame for 2 minutes. keep stirring continuously. Then add 1/2 cup water or as per the thickness you need in gravy.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes on medium flame. Turn off the gas and wait for 2 - 3 minutes. Then add in the koftas and garam masala. Close the lid of the pan for next 3 - 5 minutes.
  • Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or flatbreads.
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Easy 10 minutes Low-carb Pointed Gourd Curry in Indian Style

Low-carb Pointed Gourd Curry Using Ready to Use Curry Paste

Pointed gourd curry or parwal curry is a delicious main course dish in almost all parts of India. This is extremely healthy and a low carb food. Pointed Gourd or parwal is another great food option for keto diet. This is prepared in various ways either alone or in combination with other vegetables e.g. stir fried side dish, main course gravy, stuffed pointed gourd, mashed gourd or even as a dessert. These are beneficial for diabetic patients as it controls blood sugar and cholesterol. It helps in weight-loss as this is low in calorie and low in carbohydrate. The seeds of this vegetable helps to ease the stool and helps in treating constipation. As this is full of antioxidants and rich source of vitamin A & C it delays aging process. So why not try making interesting recipes from this superfood.

When summer starts many markets are flooded with young and fresh pointed gourds. Comparatively this is much famous cuisine of Eastern part of India than any other place. This is one of my favourite recipe as well. I have prepared this simple yet yummy dish using my ready to use curry paste. As I have mentioned in my previous post of curry paste, this is a must have in your refrigerator if you want to save your cooking time. So when I wish to prepare some curry or gravy based dish, it doesn’t take more than 10 – 15 minutes to cook. Try this simple and effective technique of fast cooking.

This curry took only 10 minutes or less. For better taste, deep fry the pointed gourds or parwal. It also tastes heavenly when cooked in combination with potatoes. I will be posting some more pointed gourd recipes this week.

Read more pointed gourd recipes here.

Lets start cooking Pointed Gourd Curry (Parwal Ki sabzi/ Parwal Masala/ Potolor Dalna)

 

Print Recipe

Easy 10 minutes Low-carb Pointed Gourd Curry in Indian Style

This is an easy recipe prepared in 10 minutes using ready to use curry paste or if preparing fresh onion paste then 30 minutes. He hero ingredient is pointed gourd (parwal)
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Sabzi & Curry
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Keto Recipe, Low-carb Recipe, Pointed Gourd Recipe
Servings: 4 People
Author: daintykitchen

Ingredients

  • 10 tbsp Mustard Oil (for shallow frying of parwal)
  • 250 gm Pointed Gourd (Parwal)
  • 5 tbsp Curry Paste (2 onion, 1 tomato, 1 inch ginger, 4 - 6 garlic pods, 3 - 4 green chillies and dry red chillies paste cooked with corinader powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder.
  • 1 Bay Leaf (Tejpatta)
  • 4 Cloves
  • 4 Green Cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt (As per taste)

Instructions

  • Wash properly and cut pointed gourd horizontally or vertically as per your choice. I have made 1 inch thick pieces as shown in picture. One medium size can be sliced to 3 to 4 pieces in this way.
    Pointed Gourd
  • Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Fry the parwal till slightly brown in color. Remove from oil when done.
  • Remove excess oil. Add bay leaf, cardamom, star anise, cloves and saute till they are aromatic.
  • Add 5 - 6 tbsp curry paste prepared and stored earlier. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes. Add a cup of water, salt as per taste. Mix well.
  • Add fried parwal. Cook for another 5 minutes till its infused with all flavors and spices.
  • Cook till its reached at required consistency. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.

Notes

Shallow fry the vegetables for better taste.
Happy Cooking Friends.

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Easy 15 Minutes Stuffed Bitter Gourd or Bharwa Karela

bharwa karela

Stuffed Karela or Bitter Gourd Using Ready-to-use Curry Paste & Pickle Spice Mix

bharwa karela

Read my earlier post regarding ready to use curry paste & pickle spice mix to prepare the mixtures and store to reduce the cooking time. Normally it takes almost around 1 hour to prepare stuffed karela in this way. But if you have these two basic ingredients readily available then you can cook this in 15 minutes plus  minutes preparation time. Just imagine you have saved 40 – 45 minutes by smart cooking. You can invest that time in creating some other fabulous recipe ideas or spend quality time with your family with kids. Isn’t it a great idea.

In this recipe I have used the same pickle spice mix as in stuffed eggplant stir-fry. Similar way stuffed brinjals, stuffed capsicum, stuffed tinda etc are prepared quickly.

Again I have not discarded the outer skin. Either you can use the clean skin of bitter gourd in making juice or mix them with onion paste for stuff. It gives similar flavor as fried flower buds of neem plant. My mom used to make lots of neem and karela for us. We initially hated the bitter taste but gradually started liking these healthy bitter vegetables, their edible flower buds etc. So I have tried using peeled skin along with onion paste. In that case first fry the skin and then add onion paste and saute.

While selecting the smaller ones as they are perfect for this dish and takes lesser cooking time. Also they are not hard and matured ones else you will have to remove the seeds from karela then stuff it.

This is Keto friendly, Diabetic friendly (one of the best food for diabetic patients). Though its a healthy food option, it’s not meant for weight loss as it consumes lots of oil in the process. Kids surely will not like the bitter taste but try to add smaller portion to their regular meal. Moms are so smart infact they always find some or the other way to feed healthy food to their kids.

Lets make this bharwa karela or stuffed bitter gourd or bharwa karela.

bharwa karela
Print Recipe

Easy 15 Minutes Stuffed Karela or Bitter Gourd

Stuffed Karela is made by stuffing spices in the slits made on karela. Tie the stuffed karela with thread and stir fry them on low flame.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Keto Recipe, Sabzi & Curry, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian
Servings: 4 People
Author: daintykitchen

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp Oil
  • 250 gm Bitter Gourd
  • 3 tbsp Curry Paste (cooked paste on onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder)
  • 2 tbsp Pickle Spice Mix (refer link above or instuction below)
  • 1/2 tsp Aamchur/ Dry mango powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt as per taste

Instructions

Preparing the stuffing

  • To make pickle spice, Dry roast these spices and grind to a fine paste. 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp yellow mustard halves, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/4 tsp (pinch) onion seeds (optional).
  • Add 3 - 4 tbsp ready to use curry paste (refer link in text), 2 tbsp pickle spice mix, salt and dry mango/ aamchur in a mixing bowl and mix well all ingredients
  • Wash and peel the skin of the bitter gourd. Make slits vertically from one side. Carefully do this to make a pocket only to stuff the masala mix.
    stuffed karela
  • stuffed karela

Stuffing the Karela

  • Take one spoon of mixture and try to fill as much enters into it. Repeat for all and keep aside on a plate.
    stuffed karela
  • Take a small thread and try to tie the karela as shown in picture.
    stuffed karela
  • The idea is to seal the karela so that the masalas won't come out while frying. Some excess masala will come out in this process. But don't worry about it.

Stir-frying the stuffed karels

  • Heat 5 - 6 tbsp oil and once oil is hot place stuffed karela into the pan. cover with lead and cook on medium low heat. Occasionally flip the karela with help of a tong.
  • If you have more quantity karela then do it in batches of 5 - 6 at a time. Don't over crowd the pan. It takes 8 - 10 minutes on low flame to cook the stuffed karela completely. If you have more in quantity or in large size karela then it might take bit longer to cook the whole lot.
  • Bharwa karela is ready to serve.
    stuffed karela

Notes

 

Happy Cooking Friends. 

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Ready to Use Indian Curry Paste

Curry Paste

Ready to use Indian curry paste is the real magic wand for all busy people. When you are in hurry and can’t spend even 30 minutes to make your main course, here is the solution. This recipe has come from my mom’s kitchen. My mom when enters into kitchen she loves to do things quickly and without any compromise on taste of food. I know I may not match to her speed till now also. But then I also learned many such tricks to reduce the cooking time from her. Many of us must have learned such skills from our mother and that’s why I thought to share this idea of ready to use curry paste.

This curry paste can be prepared and stored in air tight container for 4 – 5 days in refrigerator. And use it while preparing your curry. In Indian kitchen curry is one of the common main course so you are going to use them all in stipulated time and its not going to be wasted. If you have a small family then prepare depending on the quantity of preparation.

At the time of cooking, normal steps would be:

  1. Heat oil in a pan. ( 2 – 3 tbsp)
  2. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
  3. Add 2 tbsp of ready to use curry paste.
  4. Saute for a minute. No need to add any extra spices.
  5. Add tomato puree. Mix and saute for another minute.
  6. Add vegetables of your choice. Add salt.
  7. Saute for 2 minutes in medium to high flame.
  8. Add hot water. Mix well & let it simmer and get cooked.
  9. Add garam masala, dry mango powder (aamchur, if required).
  10. Garnish with coriander leaves.

This way it reduces the cooking time to 15 – 20 minutes and if you have boiled vegetables in your fridge then that is an added advantage. If you are making paneer or mushroom then if can finish your cooking in 5 – 8 minutes. You can use this curry paste in preparation of marinades, as base of all Indian gravy.

The only thing you need to do is add tomato puree and the particular curry powder e.g.,

  • For chole/ chana add chole masala to curry paste,
  • For other masalas you may add regular curry powder or even that is not required. Just add garam masala after its cooked completely.
  • For biriyani add biriyani masala along with whole spices (Bay leaf + Cinnamon Stick, Star anise, black pepper, cloves, cardamom, black cardamom). Here after adding oil, I do saute all the whole spices and roast. Then I add the curry paste and tomato puree. Saute and add 1/2 cup curd and 1/2tsp biriyani masala. Then add vegetables and little water and let it simmer till half cooked.

This curry paste is a simple one with basic Indian spices. I normally do’t add whole spices to this paste. But you may add cloves powder, cinnamon powder, black pepper powder while cooking the curry paste. I prefer to add it fresh to get that aroma of these spices in curry.

Curry paste

Curry Paste
Print Recipe

Ready to Use Indian Curry Paste

This ready to use curry paste is basic Indian curry paste which can be stored in refrigerator for a week and used further when required. This paste does not contain tomato puree.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Main Dish, Sabzi & Curry
Cuisine: Indian
Author: daintykitchen

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp Oil
  • 3 Onion Large, Diced
  • 2 inch Ginger diced
  • 10 - 12 Garlic
  • 3 - 4 Green Chillies
  • 4 Dried Red Chilli

Instructions

  • Dice and grind onion, ginger, ginger, green chillies, red chillies and cumin seeds to a fine paste.
  • Heat 5 tbsp oil in a pan. Once oil is hot add the paste to it. Mix well and saute.
  • Saute till onion gets cooked and leaves oil on surface. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder. Mix well.
    Curry Paste
  • Curry Paste
  • Give it a good stir. Add 1/4 cup water and cook on low flame.
    Curry Paste
  • Cook till it leaves oil from surroundings and is cooked till dry.
  • Turn off the gas and let it cool for some time. Then transfer to an air tight container and store in refrigerator.
    Curry paste
  • Curry Paste

Notes

  • Preferably don't add tomatoes to the paste. If you are adding tomatoes you can store for lesser duration than paste without tomatoes.
  • I don't add whole spices to the mix. You can add cloves, black pepper, cinnamon powder to the basic paste. Grind the whole apices with onion, ginger & garlic. If using powdered form, add while other spices are added. But the fresh garam masala has different aroma.
Happy Cooking Friends..

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