Cauliflower Kofta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Holiday season is right upon us, which means lot of parties to host and to visit. Menu planning for these parties can get quite stressful some times. I usually have trouble finding appetizer recipes that fit into my menu. So here’s a recipe for Indian flavored cauliflower kofta with creamy tomato sauce that can be part of a Indian themed meal. I have been planning to make Indian style meatballs as an appetizer for quite some time now. But most of the recipes I saw online looked too doughy and tough. I wanted a recipe that made soft and tender.These kofta are inspired from Middle Eastern falafel and Indian potato based kofta. Any soft cooked vegetables like carrot, green beans, peas etc., can be used in this recipe. I added some mashed cauliflower and you can really taste it in these kofta. These koftas can be baked in the oven or deep fried until golden. I used an aebleskiver (appe) pan to make the kofta, so that they turn out crispy without adding too much fat and calories. I served the koftas with some creamy tomato curry sauce (this ones inspired from the gravy served with malai kofta. Serve this spicy appetizer with some robust red wine like Cavit’s Red Blend. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Cavit Wines provided by Honest Cooking. All the opinions expressed in this post are mine.
Here’s the link to the recipe.

Cauliflower Kofta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Indian flavored Cauliflower kofta with Creamy Tomato Sauce -- serve them as side dish for your holiday parties and game nights.

Author: Pavani

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Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, north indian

Servings: 20 Kofta

Ingredients

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For the Cauliflower Kofta:

• 2 cups Grated Cauliflower (from about ½ of a small head)*
• 2 Medium Potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
• 1 teaspoon Ginger+garlic paste
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon Red Chili powder (adjust as per taste preference)
• ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ½ teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 2~3 tablespoons Chickpea flour (besan) or All purpose flour
• 2~3 tablespoons Breadcrumbs
• To taste Salt
• 3 tablespoons Cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
• As needed Oil, for deep frying

For the Creamy Tomato Sauce:

• 2 teaspoons Oil
• 1 Small Onion, very finely chopped
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
• 3~4 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon Red Chili powder (adjust as per taste preference)
• ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ½ teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1~2 tablespoons Heavy cream
• To taste Salt
• 2~3 tablespoons Coconut Cream or Heavy Cream

Instructions

Make Creamy Tomato Sauce:

• Heat oil in a small saucepan on medium heat, add onion, ginger+garlic paste and cook for 3~4 minutes or until the onions are soft.
• Add the tomatoes, cover and cook for 3~4 minutes or until they are mushy.
• Add curry powder, turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin & coriander. Cook for 1~2 minutes. Season with salt.
• Stir in heavy cream and let the sauce heat through, about 1~2 minutes. Set the sauce aside until ready to serve.

Make Cauliflower Kofta:

• Combine grated cauliflower, mashed potato, Ginger+garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder, ground cumin, coriander, chickpea flour, breadcrumbs, salt and cilantro. Mix well to combine all the ingredients and form a stiff dough.
• Scoop about 1 tablespoon of cauliflower mixture and roll into balls. Place them on a plate.
• You can either deep fry, use a aebleskiver (appe) pan or bake these balls.

To Deep Fry:

• Heat oil for deep frying in a small wok or pan on medium heat. Gently slide in 5~6 balls, depending on the size of the pan and fry until they are evenly golden on all sides.
• Remove using a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the rest of the balls.

Using aebleskiver (appe) pan:

• Add 1 teaspoon oil in each cavity of the pan. Add the kofta balls and fry till golden on all sides. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the rest.

To Bake:

• Preheat oven to 400°F oven. Place the cauliflower kofta balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly spray the kofta with cooking spray and bake for 20~25 minutes, rotating them half way through.
• Serve kofta warm with creamy tomato sauce on the side for dipping.

Notes

• Cauliflower can be grated using a box grater or pulse them in a food processor.
• Freshly grated cauliflower can be substituted with frozen cauliflower rice.
• Substitute ginger-garlic paste with 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced.
• Make sure to mash the potato properly, big chunks might cause the kofta from breaking in the oil while frying.