Urad Bean and Quinoa Kofta with Coconut Fenugreek Sauce
Served all the way from the Middle East through India to central Asia, there are as many versions of koftas as there are tastes and preferences. Although originally made from ground meat, there are countless vegetarian versions of these little "meatballs" to be found too, many made with cooked beans, potatoes or paneer cheese instead of meat, but always with herbs and spices.
I've used chickpeas, potatoes and paneer cheese to make Indian-style vegetarian koftas in the past, but this time I've used whole black urad beans, also known as black gram. These beans have a creamy texture and mild flavor when cooked that make it a wonderful vehicle for spices and seasonings, but must be soaked overnight to ensure the little jewels cook through. In addition to the black urad beans and an array of hot spices, I've added quinoa to give these koftas added texture as well as nourishment.
In India, koftas are usually served in a creamy sauce, and for these urad bean and quinoa koftas I made a sauce that is not only creamy but fragrant with coconut milk, tomatoes, spices and seeds and dried fenugreek leaves. You will likely be eager to use this sauce for many other dishes, including meatballs themselves if you happen not to be a vegetarian. If you wish only to make the kofta, you could serve them as filling appetizers with your favourite chutneys and sauces.
Dried fenugreek leaves — also known as methi — have a slightly sweet nutty flavor that is reminescent of maple syrup but more bitter — in fact, they're a common ingredient in artificial maple syrups. On their own, dried fenugreek leaves are bitter and not exactly pleasant but when cooked with aromatic seeds and spices, they introduce a unique but subtle sweet and bitter taste to cream sauces, a taste that is distinctive of the very best creamy curries in Indian home cooking but one that is very hard to find in restaurant sauces. I always have dried fenugreek leaves on hand, as well as the seeds and powder, and very often crumble a few leaves into my Indian dishes.
You can find black urad beans and dried fenugreek leaves in any Indian grocer or online. Fresh fenugreek leaves are treat and if you happen to live near an Asian or Indian grocer, you will likely be able to obtain these as well to in incorporate into your dishes.
Urad Bean and Quinoa Kofta with Coconut Fenugreek Sauce |
Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on April 25, 2019 Baked spiced bean and quinoa balls served in a creamy and fragrant coconut and fenugreek sauce Print this recipe Kofta:
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Other kofta recipes to try from Lisa's Kitchen:
Spicy Baked Chickpea Koftas
Mali Kofta (Potato and Paneer Kofta in a Rich Tomato Cream Sauce)
Chickpea Potato Koftas with Ricotta Cheese
Baked Chickpea Kofta Tacos with Avocado and Harissa
This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair, edition #127. This ongoing event is the brain child of lovely Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook, and is now administered by me, and kindly hosted each month by different guest bloggers. Amrita of Motions and Emotions is hosting for April.
On the top of the reading stack: BOSH!: Simple Recipes * Amazing Food * All Plants
Audio accompaniment: Sonic Being by Lingua Lustra
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