Spinach kofta with creamy almond-onion curry Palak kofta wit

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

250ml (9fl oz) water

100ml (3½fl oz) natural yogurt

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon sugar

red chilli flakes, to garnish

FOR THE PASTE

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 green chilli, roughly chopped

40g (1½oz) white poppy seeds

40g (1½oz) blanched almonds

2.5cm (1 inch) fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

100ml (3½fl oz) water

FOR THE KOFTAS

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1cm (½ inch) pieces

100g (3½oz) spinach leaves, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

60g (2¼oz) cornflour

sunflower oil, for shallow-frying

Directions

Blitz all the paste ingredients in a blender (preferably) or a food processor until smooth. Heat the oil in a pan and add the paste with 50ml (2fl oz) of the measured water. Cover and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Meanwhile, make the koftas. Put the potato pieces in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil, then cook for 5 minutes until cooked through. Drain the potato, put it into a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add the spinach, salt and cornflour and mix well. Divide the mixture into 10–12 portions and form each into a ball about the size of a lime, then flatten them slightly.

Heat enough oil for shallow-frying in a frying pan. Line a plate with kitchen paper. Add the koftas to the hot oil and cook over a medium to high heat for 1–2 minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer to the paper-lined plate to absorb the excess oil.

Whisk the yogurt with the remaining 200ml (7fl oz) water in a small bowl. Gradually add to the paste and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for a minute. Then stir in the salt, chilli powder and sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, place the koftas on top and serve, garnished with red chilli flakes.

Notes

If you are going to try just one vegetable curry from this book, then make it this one. The smooth, creamy sauce is so delicately flavoured and the crispy spinach koftas contrast so beautifully with it, even the hardcore meat-eaters will ask for seconds. Enjoy it with naan or rice.