Preparation and cooking time: 45 min
15 medium-sized tomatoes
2 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 dried chillies, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 teaspoon salt
5 medium-sized potatoes, washed
1/2 medium-sized cauliflower, washed, trimmed, and separated into flowerets
1 cup (100 g) chick-pea flour
3 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander or parsley leaves
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup (250 ml) plain yogurt (optional)
Start by making the tomato sauce. Drop the tomatoes into a pot of rapidly boiling water for 15-20 seconds. Drain them, and rinse them under cold water. Then peel and mash them. Heat the tablespoon of ghee or vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger, then the dried chillies. Follow with the ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric. Stirfry for a few seconds. Put the tomatoes into the pan, add half the salt, cover, and lower the heat. Cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
While the sauce simmers, peel the potatoes and break up the cauliflower into large flowerets. Wash both vegetables thoroughly, then grate them through the large holes of a metal grater. Combine the grated vegetables, the chick-pea flour, 2 tablespoons of the chopped coriander leaves, and all the remaining spices in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. The grated potatoes should give enough moisture to bind the ingredients together. Knead the mixture for 2 minutes, then form it into 20-30 small balls. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil until almost smoking, and drop in the vegetable balls. Deep-fry them for 4-5 minutes until they are uniformly goldenbrown and crisp. Then drain them.
If you use yogurt, stir it into the tomato sauce and allow the sauce to heat for 2 minutes. Put the kofta balls in a serving bowl and cover them with the hot sauce. Garnish with the remaining chopped fresh coriander or parsley leaves. Serve with a rice or an Indian bread.