Palak Kofta (Spinach with Patties)

This is basically another idea spurned by left overs. As I have mentioned earlier, my dear husband is not too fond of Colacassia or Baby Potatoes and I had a packet of each staring at me this morning. I thought I'd make Kara Kuzhambu with one veggie and fry the other...In fact I was pretty much dreading my husband's response.

Suddenly the bell rang and as if she were god sent, it was the lady who sells greens to our apartment. And again, as if it was serendipity, she had Palak (Spinach). I usually buy Spinach when I have Paneer (Cottage Cheese) and resort to making the usual Palak Paneer. This time I decided to use the Baby Potatoes and Yam (Colocassia) instead. Again the dilemma was on - Should I boil the potatoes/yam and place it in the Palak Gravy instead of the Paneer or do something else. The wise part of me told me to try something else - It was pretty obvious that my husband would keep aside the 2 veggies that he does not like and then complain that I never make anything he likes (Which is 75% true - I make things that excite me, sometimes I am inconsiderate about his dislike for the same).

I decided to camouflage the 2 veggies that I was planning to use. And thus Palak Kofta was born! Try it out. It is not too different from the Palak Paneer Recipe that I usually make.

 Ingredients:

For the Kofta

1. Baby Potatoes - 250 gms
2. Colocassia (Arbi/Yam/Sepankazhangu/Chembu) - 150 gms
3. Corriander Leaves - 1 bunch
4. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
5. Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Dry Mango Powder - 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
9. Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) - 1 tsp
10. Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
11. Salt to taste
12. Cornflour - 1 cup
13. Oil - for shallow frying

For the Palak

1. Spinach (Palak) - 2 or 3 bunches (I use only the leaves - I got one small cooker full of uncooked leaves)
2. Onions - 2
3. Tomatoes - 3
4. Green Chilly - 3
5. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
6. Jeera - 2 tsp
7. Hing- 1 pinch
8. Milk - 200 ml (you could use cream instead)
9. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
12. Salt to taste
13. Oil - 2 tblsp
14. Spinach Stock - 1 cup (The water that is left after boiling/steaming the Spinach)

Method:

For the Kofta:

1. Boil potatoes and colocassia (Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles)
2. Cool and Peel skin.
3. Mash them well.
4. Add the remaining masalas (other than cornflour) and corriander leaves and mix well.
5. Take a small amount of the mashed paste and flatten them on your palm like a patty.
6. Roll it in cornflour.
7. Heat oil in a pan.
8. Shallow Fry the patties. (I make them in batches - roll 10 patties and then shallow fry all of them together)
9. Turn over once side is done.
10. Remove from pan and drain excess oil by placing the kofta's on a tissue paper.

For the Palak Gravy

1. Steam Palak well (Do not boil them). I used the leaves and discarded the stems. You can use both if you want a good quantity of the gravy.
2. Set aside the stock if you want to add it to the gravy.
3. Set aside to cool
4. Heat oil in a pan.
5. Splutter half of the jeera and fry the onions till translucent.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
7. Add green chillies and tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
8. Remove and set aside to cool.
9. Once cooled, puree the palak and the prepared onion-tomato mixture together into a fine paste.
10. Heat oil in a pan.
11. Splutter remaining jeera, add the hing (asafoetida)
12. Add the pureed mixture and mix well.
13. Add Spinach stock.
14. Add turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder and bring to boil.
15. Add garam masala and kofta and allow it to boil once.
16. Remove from flame and add the milk/cream.
17. Place it back on low flame and cook till it is about to boil. Do not bring it to boil as the milk/cream will curdle.
18. Do not cook for too long as the Kofta's will become soggy and get mashed into the gravy.
19. Serve hot with roti's/parantha's

Finally, this is a pic taken from the internet, sent by my friend G - This is how a Palak Kofta should actually look :-)