Lentil Kofta Curry
Adapted from Seven Spoons by Tara Powell O’Brady
Tara’s recipe is spot on and barely needed any modification. I was running short on time, so I used ground spices instead of toasting and grinding my own (lame, I know, but I needed those 5 extra minutes). I also skipped making additional sides for it and instead doctored up plain Green yogurt with lime juice and zest, cumin, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar; I served it as a substitute for raita. The only marked differences from the recipe were that I used a touch more water in making the sauce and it took slightly longer than the book indicated for my onions to brown when I was dry searing them. Oh, and I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones since it’s not tomato season and I didn’t think it would make a huge difference.
For the Koftas:
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) Puy lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 cups (710 ml) water
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 slices fresh sandwich bread
1/2 cup (60 grams) raw cashews
1 garlic clove, peeled
Handful of fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Neutral-tasting oil, for brushing
For the Sauce:
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 onions, sliced
3 cups (710 ml) water
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1-inch (2.5 cm) knob of ginger, peeled and chopped
Small bunch of cilantro, leaves and tender stems
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 green cardamom pods, cracked
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder or cayenne, optional
4 plum tomatoes or 1 1/2 cups (1 14-oz can) canned tomatoes, chopped
To Serve:
Chopped cilantro leaves
Lime wedges
Raita or yogurt sauce (see below)
Make the Koftas:
1. In a heavy saucepan, cover the lentils with 3 cups (710 ml) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and cook over a low simmer until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Do not overcook; it’s best to err on the side of chewy rather than mushy, uniform paste.
2. While the lentils are cooking, whisk the milk and yogurt together in a bowl. Tear the bread into pieces and drop into the milk mixture; set aside.
3. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the paper with a thin layer of oil.
4. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, grind the cashews, garlic, and cilantro into small bits. Once lentils are cooked, drain, and add them, along with the soaked bread, to the processor, and whatever liquid left in its bowl. Pulse to make a coarse puree. scrape down the sides of the processor, season to taste lightly, and pulse again to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings. If there’s time, chill the mixture in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 hours.
5. Roll the koftas, into golf-sized balls. Arrange the koftas on the prepared baking sheet as they are rolled. Once finished, brush each with a little oil, then baking the oven, about 20 minutes, until crusted and brown.
Make the Sauce:
6. While the koftas bake, in a large, heavy pan with a lid set over medium heat, toast the cumin and coriander until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a spice grinder and process into a powder. [Alternatively, if you’re like me (a new mom) and really pressed for time, you can just use pre-ground spices and add them later in the recipe. I’ll let you determine how much to add.] Back in the pan, dry roast the onions, stirring often, until the edges are brown and start to curl, 12 to 15 minutes. Add 3/4 cup (180 ml) water to the pan. Scrape the onions and liquid into a blender with the garlic, ginger, cilantro, and a couple of generous pinches of salt; then puree.
7. Turn the heat under the pan to medium-low and heat the oil. Add the onion paste and fry, stirring, until brown, about 6 minutes. Add the ground spices, cinnamon, garam masala, turmeric, cardamom, and chile powder, and cook for about 1 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, pressing them to the bottom of the pan to deglaze and darken. Add 2 1/2 cups (580 ml) water and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil; then reduce heat again, so the sauce is at a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring from time to time, until the gravy is reduced and the fat has separated from the solids, 30 minutes. Drop in the koftas, shake the pan so they sink into the sauce, and turn of the heat. Cover with a lid and let stand for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings and top with fresh cilantro. Serve with cooked basmati rice or naan, lime wedges, and cachoombar or raita. [What I actually did was make a sauce of yogurt, lime juice and zest, salt, cumin, and a pinch of sugar.]
Makes about 24 koftas