Stephen Ceideburg KOFTA: 2 lg Russet potatoes, boiled, -peeled, mashed 1/2 c Green peas, fresh or frozen 1/4 c Shredded Cheddar cheese 1 Fresh hot green chile, -chopped 1/2 ts Ground coriander 1 ts Cumin seeds 1 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 c Chopped cashew nuts 1 tb Raisins 3/4 c Chick-pea flour or corn -flour (see note) 1 c Water Mild vegetable oil for deep -frying SPICY CREAM SAUCE: 8 Whole cashew nuts 2 Whole cloves 1 pn Nutmeg 1/2 Inch cinnamon stick 1 Garlic clove, peeled 2 tb Unsalted butter 1 lg Onion, grated 1 pn Turmeric 2 ts Paprika 1/2 ts Ground coriander 1/2 ts Cayenne pepper 1 ts Salt 1 c Half-and-half 1 c Water 1/2 c Heavy cream 2 tb Chopped fresh cilantro Kofta, a classic dish of Moghul origin, is one of the most important preparations of Indian vegetarian cuisine. Traditionally, koftas are simmered in a delicate sauce and turned into a curried main dish. These kebabs are wonderful served as cocktail appetizers with a yogurt or fruity dipping sauce. The kofta: Combine potatoes, peas, cheese, chile, coriander, cumin, salt, cashews and raisins. Form mixture into 1-inch balls. Make a batter with the flour and water. Season with pinch of salt, if desired. Heat oil to 375 degrees F in a deep fryer or large heavy saucepan. Dip balls into batter to coat completely, and deep-fry until brown (do not crowd), about 4 minutes. Set aside. (If you want the kebabs to remain firm, put them on a heated serving platter, and tent with foil. To serve, bring cream sauce to a boil and pour over kebabs.) The sauce: Grind cashews, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and garlic with a little water to make a fine paste. Set aside. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until wilted; stir in ground paste and cook 2 minutes. Add turmeric, paprika, coriander, cayenne and salt. Stir in half-and-half and water. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. (May be prepared 2 days ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated.) Stir in cream and kofta kebabs. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Note: Chick-pea flour (also called besan) may be purchased at Indian grocery stores. PER SERVING: 645 calories, 15 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 43 g fat (19 g saturated), 86 mg cholesterol, 1,450 mg sodium, 8 g fiber. Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/92.
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