Kathal / raw jackfruit – 500 gms, cut into small cubes
Chana dal – ¼ cup
Potato – 1, medium, peeled and cut into quarters
Onion – 1, large, finely chopped
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chilies – 2
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil or mustard oil for deep frying
For the curry –
Green cardamom – 4 to 6
Bay leaf – 1
Cloves – 4 to 6
Cinnamon stick – 1 inch piece
Onion – 2, medium, make a smooth paste of them
Ginger paste – ½ tbsp
Garlic paste – ½ tbsp
Tomato puree – 1 tbsp
Yogurt – ¾ cup, beaten until smooth
Fresh cream – 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Kashmiri chili powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Mustard / vegetable Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Instructions
Making koftas –
Soak the chana dal in water for about an hour.
Now boil the dal with the potato cubes and raw jackfruit pieces till all are cooked through. Drain the water and mash everything together. The vegetables and dal will be easily mashed when they are still warm.
Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large wok. Add the chopped green chilies and chopped onion. Sauté them until the onion turns golden.
Next add the ginger and garlic paste and cook them until oil starts to separate, about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add the mashed vegetables & dal mixture, season with salt and chili powder. Keep cooking on low until all the moisture dries up for about 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should look glossy and leaves the sides of the wok easily.
Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool. When the mixture is cold enough to handle, take about a tablespoon of the mash and roll through your palms to make a firm & smooth ball. Repeat till the mash is finished.
Heat enough oil for deep frying in a deep wok. Fry the prepared koftas in batches until golden brown on all sides. Take them out and place on absorbing paper.
Making the curry –
Heat the oil in a wok and once hot temper it with bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Let them crackle and become fragrant.
Then add the onion paste and sauté them on medium until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Next add the ginger and garlic paste and cook them for couple of minutes or until the oil starts to separate. At this stage, add the tomato puree and cook until the raw smell is gone.
Make a smooth paste of coriander powder, chili powder and turmeric powder mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. Add this spice paste to the wok and season it with salt to taste. Sauté the spices on medium-high until the water is absorbed and oil starts to separate again.
Now bring the flame to the lowest and add the beaten yogurt to the wok while stirring continuously to ensure the yogurt doesn’t split. Keep cooking until all the yogurt is thoroughly combined with the spice mix.
Now add 1 to 1 & ½ cup of warm water to the wok and let it come to boil. Mix everything well to make a uniform gravy and check the seasoning. Once the gravy comes to a rolling boil, cover and let it simmer for 5 to 6 minutes for all the flavors to amalgamate and mature.
Finally add the cooking cream and the prepared koftas and boil the gravy for final couple of minutes. Adjust the consistency of the gravy as per your desire. You may add more water if it seems to be too dry and bring it boil or boil off any excess water. But do remember that the koftas will soak up a lot of the gravy, so make the adjustment accordingly.
Sprinkle garam masala and serve the kathal kofta hot with poori or parantha. Enjoy!
Recipe by Everyday Indian Recipes at http://everydayindianrecipes.flavorquotient.com/kathal-kofta-curry/