cabbage kofta

Cabbage kofta recipe With step by step photos – cabbage kofta is a rich and delicious curry dish, very popular in north India.

Koftas are fried dumplings that can be made from different vegetables like lauki (bottle gourd), carrots, zucchini, spinach, potatoes or even mix vegetables. They can be made even with aloo-paneer combo.

I have already shared the recipe of Malai kofta and Lauki kofta recipe. in the Mughlai cuisine, the koftas are made with meat balls. Making these popular rich gravy based kofta dishes at home requires a lot of time and usually they are made for special occasions, parties or when you have to make a rich curry dish. If you are short of time, then you can make the koftas a day before and refrigerate them. The next day you can make the curry or gravy for the kofta.

This recipe of cabbage kofta is quite delicious and is slightly strongly spiced but not hot. Reduce the quantity of whole spices used in the masala paste, if making for kids or folks who cannot tolerate the aroma of spices (whole garam masala) used in Indian food.

Cabbage kofta can be served with rotis, parathas or naan. It also goes well with steamed rice or jeera rice or saffron rice.

How to make cabbage kofta

Preparing kofta mixture

1. In a mixing bowl, take the ingredients required for making the cabbage koftas – finely chopped cabbage, ajwain (carom seeds), spice powders, curd/yogurt and salt.

2. Mix well and keep the kofta mixture aside for about 30 mins.

3. The kofta mixture would have become moist as the cabbage would release its juices. Add besan/gram flour and mix well.

4. If the kofta mixture looks dry, then you can add some water. If it’s too moist and batter like, then no need to add any water. I added about 1/4 cup water. Mix well.

Frying cabbage kofta

5. Heat oil for shallow or deep frying kofta in a kadai or pan. drop spoonfuls of the batter and fry the cabbage koftas till crisp and golden in medium hot oil.

6. Drain the kofta on paper towels to remove excess oil and keep aside.

Making cabbage kofta gravy

7. In the same kadai, remove the excess oil that we had used for frying the koftas and keep about 2 tbsp oil. First add the whole spices and fry them till fragrant. Then add the onions and fry till the onions get golden.

8. Add the crushed ginger-garlic and saute till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.

9. Add the tomatoes and all the dry spice powders.

10. Stir and saute till tomatoes soften and the oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.

11. Let this mixture cool and then grind this sauteed onion-tomato mixture with some water to a smooth paste.

12. Heat oil in the same pan. Add the ground masala paste and stir. Then add water, salt and again stir.

13. Simmer the mixture till it thickens a bit and reaches a medium gravy consistency.

14. Add cream and stir. Then add the crushed kasuri methi & stir again. Switch off the fire. If serving immediately, then add the cabbage koftas. If serving later, then reheat the curry/sauce and then add the koftas. The koftas absorb the gravy/sauce, so add the koftas just before serving.

15. Garnish the curry with chopped coriander leaves. Serve the cabbage kofta with rotis, naan, parathas or jeera rice.

More Curry recipes

• Paneer butter masala
• Gobi recipe
• Veg kofta
• Veg kurma
• Shahi paneer.

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Cabbage Kofta

By Dassana Amit

Crisp and soft cabbage koftas (fried dumplings) in a spiced curry/sauce.

4.86 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 5 mins

Cuisine North Indian

Course Main Course

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Servings 3 to 4

Units

Ingredients

for the cabbage kofta

• ▢ 3 cups chopped cabbage - chopped finely
• ▢ 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
• ▢ 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain or bishop's weed)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Curd (yogurt)
• ▢ 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• ▢ 1 pinch baking soda
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ ¼ cup water or as required
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ oil for shallow or deep frying

for kofta gravy

• ▢ 3 medium size tomatoes - finely chopped
• ▢ 1 large size onion - finely chopped
• ▢ ½ inch ginger - crushed
• ▢ 2 to 3 cloves garlic - crushed
• ▢ 1 black cardamom
• ▢ 2 green cardamoms
• ▢ 1 inch cinnamon
• ▢ 2 to 3 cloves
• ▢ 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoon oil or butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (crushed dry fenugreek leaves)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil or butter to be added in the last step [step 9 of preparing the curry or sauce or gravy]
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoon cream
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ some chopped coriander leaves for garnishing (dhania patta or cilantro leaves)

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Instructions

 

preparing the cabbage kofta

• In a mixing bowl, take the finely chopped cabbage, ajwain/carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida/hing, curd/yogurt and salt.
• Mix well and keep the cabbage mixture aside for about 25-30 mins.
• The kofta mixture would have become moist as the cabbage would release its juices.
• Add besan/gram flour & baking soda and mix well.
• If the mixture looks dry, then you can add some water. If its too moist and batter like, then no need to add any water. I added about 1/4 cup water.
• Stir very well.
• Heat oil for shallow or deep frying the cabbage koftas in a kadai or pan.
• Drop spoonfuls of the batter and fry the koftas till crisp and golden in medium hot oil.
• Drain the fried koftas on paper towels to remove excess oil and keep aside.

making cabbage kofta curry or gravy

• In the same kadai, remove the excess oil that we had used for frying the kofta and keep about 2 tbsp oil.
• Or you can just use fresh 2 tbsp oil or butter.
• First add the bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. Fry the whole spices till fragrant.... About 10-15 seconds.
• Then add the onions and fry till the onions get golden.
• Add the crushed ginger-garlic and saute till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.
• Add the tomatoes and all the dry spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder.
• Stir and saute till tomatoes soften and oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.
• Let this mixture cool and then grind this sauted onion-tomato mixture with some water to a smooth paste with about 1/4 or 1/2 cup water.
• In the same pan, gently heat about 1 tbsp oil or butter.
• Add the ground masala paste and stir with the oil.
• Immediately add 2 cups water and again stir well.
• Add salt & simmer the mixture till it thickens a bit and reaches a medium gravy consistency.
• The cabbage kofta curry should be cooked well.
• Toward the end, add cream and stir. Then add the crushed kasuri methi & stir again. Switch off the fire.
• If serving immediately, then add the cabbage koftas. If serving later, then reheat the curry/sauce and then add the koftas.
• Cabbage kofta curry goes best with rotis, naan and steamed rice or jeera rice. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
• Serve the cabbage koftas with rotis, naan or jeera rice.

Notes

1. The kofta recipes makes about 20-23 koftas. In the cabbage kofta gravy I added 12 koftas and the rest I served as snacks.
2. You can adjust the amount of water as required and make the cabbage kofta gravy slightly thick or thin as per your choice.

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