Palak Kofta Curry - Low Fat version | Spinach Kofta Curry without cream

Palak Kofta Curry - Low fat version

Palak/ spinach is one of my favourite greens, its such a versatile ingredient to add to curries and stir fries. We always have 2 greens at home per week, I try to pick up the freshest possible ones from the near by vegetable market in India. My memories of spinach have been from the Popeye days, I used to wonder what was this spinach that Popeye used to eat to become strong, I used to argue with Amma when she used to say its keerai :P. After many years I had to agree and I was never a fussy person when it came to eating vegetables and fruits. I think its something I inherited from Amma which I am happy about now. Spinach/ Palak are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals, iron, omega 3 fatty acids and so on. This is one vegetable that is suitable and a must for good health. Try to add these low calorie green to your diet every week. 

Spinach Kofta curry without cream

Aloo Palak Kofta curry

Palak curry with kofta

PALAK KOFTA CURRY | LOW FAT SPINACH KOFTA CURRY

Recipe Source - Own

Serves - 4 generously

Prep time - 20 mins

Cook time - 20 mins

Serving suggestion - Roti, chappathi, naan/ pulao

Ingredients

For the Kofta

Potatoes - 1 large, peeled cubed and boiled

Spinach - 1 cup chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Corriander powder - 1 tsp

Gram/ Besam flour - 2 tbsp

For the curry

Oil - 2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 " stick

Cardamom - 4 

Cloves - 2 

Cumin - 1 tsp

Dry red chilli - 2 nos

Onion - 2 large chopped

Tomato - 2 large chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Water - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Jeera/ cumin powder - 1/4 tsp

Spinach paste - 1/2 cup from 1/4 cup spinach leaves

Salt - to taste

Milk - 1/4 cup (low fat)

Method

For the Curry

1. In a wide pan add oil. Once it is hot add the whole spices - bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin/jeera, red chilli and sauté until the aroma comes, around 20 seconds. Now add in the onions saute for 3 minutes adding a pinch of salt.

2. Now add in the tomato and mix well, cook covered for 3 minutes. Cool down and grind to a smooth paste.

3. In the same kadai/ pan add 1 tsp oil, add in the ginger-garlic paste. Sauté and cook for 1 minutes until the raw smell goes away and it becomes golden. Now add in the ground paste and the spices - red chilli, coriander, cumin and salt. Mix well and check for spice level and salt. 

4. Make a paste of the spinach leaves and add to the curry, let it cook for a minute. Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Cover and let it cook for 4 minutes. Add milk and cook in medium for further 5 minutes. Switch off.

For the Kofta

1. Peel, cube and boil potatoes until soft. Discard the water and mash them. 

2. Add the mashed potato, chopped spinach, gram flour, salt, turmeric, red chili and coriander.

3. Divide this into equal portions and roll into soft balls.

4. In a paniyaram/ unniyappam pan add a tsp of oil and place the prepared kofta balls into the pan, cook in medium until golden, flip sides until the koftas are fully golden.

5. Repeat the same until all the koftas are cooked and golden.

6. Line the koftas in a platter and pour the warm curry over the kofta and serve warm.

7. Garnish with corriander/ mint leaves.

Veg Kofta curry

Cooks Wisdom

Tip 1

1. For a full fat version you can use full fat milk/ cream/ nuts paste to thicken the curry. The koftas can be deep fried.

Tip 2

2. The curry is midly spiced and perfect you can half the spices for a low spice version.

Tip 3

3. shredded paneer can also be added to the kofta for more texture.

Tip 4

4. You can skip gram/besan flour and use cornflour or maida to bind the koftas.

LEARN HOW TO MAKE

PANEER KOFTA 

RAW BANANA KOFTA

MUTTON/ LAMB KOFTA

RED SPINACH MANGO CURRY

PALAK/ SPINACH POORI

ALOO SPINACH TIKKI

PALAK DAL CURRY

FENUGREEK LEAVES SAMBAR

SPINACH COCONUT RICE

SPINACH SHALLOTS STIR FRY

CHINESE SPINACH CHICKEN