Healthy Palak Paneer Kofta Curry My Food Story

on Oct 23, 2015, Updated Aug 01, 2023 Palak Paneer kofta is my take on doing something different with our family favourite palak paneer and combining it with my love for koftas. For me, koftas should be soft and pillowy, creamy and crispy all at the same time. Instead of deep frying these, I use a paniyaram pan to cook the koftas so they are healthier but give the same results! This palak gravy is different from the gravy in my palak paneer recipe because this recipe is years old. You still get the bright green colour but the flavours are more potent which IMO works better with the koftas. If you want something simpler, you can easily use my palak paneer recipe for the spinach gravy. Mop these palak palak paneer kofta up with parathas or pour these over some rice. Both ways are delicious!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the kofta:Paneer: Fresh and crumbly cottage cheese adds a rich and creamy texture. It is moist enough to hold all the ingredients of the kofta together. Green Chillies: For the spice. Adjust the quantity according to your preference for spiciness.Coriander: Fragrant and refreshing greens used to make the kofta more zesty. Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala, Salt: Powdered masalas used for the kofta. It adds a touch of heat, aroma and depth to the overall taste.Instant Oats: Finely powdered oats that contribute to the texture and thickness of the dish. They act as a binding agent and provide a subtle nutty flavour. This also makes the kofta healthier! Olive Oil: A healthy and flavourful oil used for cooking and sautéing. It adds a subtle fruity note and helps in achieving a rich and smooth texture.

For the Curry:Olive Oil: Another use of this versatile oil for cooking and sautéing the ingredients in the curry. It imparts a mild fruity flavour and helps in achieving a desired consistency.Onions, Green chillies, Ginger, Garlic: Aromatics used to add to the savoury profile of the curry. Cashew nuts: These creamy and mildly sweet nuts lend a rich and nutty flavour to the curry, and make it creamier.Tomatoes: Roughly chopped tomatoes add a tangy and slightly sweet element to the curry, balancing the flavours and providing a fresh taste.Spinach: Vibrant and nutrient-rich spinach leaves bring a leafy green goodness to the curry, adding a fresh and earthy flavour.Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Bay Leaf: Whole spices used to enhance the aroma and taste of the dishGaram Masala: The same aromatic blend mentioned earlier, used in the curry to infuse it with a warm and complex flavour.

For Tempering:Ghee or Butter: These rich and flavourful fats used for tempering. Asafoetida or Hing: Adds a pungent and tangy flavour upping the umami quotient in the dish. Cumin Seeds: Used for temperingGarlic cloves: Smashed garlic cloves for that extra garlic-y flavour!Dry Red Chilies: Whole dried red chilies contribute a smoky and mildly spicy flavour to the tempering

How To Make Palak Paneer Kofta (Step-By-Step)

Mix together all the ingredients mentioned under koftas except oil really well. The mixture should almost become smooth.
Form the mixture into small balls. You should get 13-15 balls.
For the curry, start by adding onions, bayleaf, green chilies, ginger, garlic and cashews along with a cup and a half of water to a pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for ten minutes till the onions are cooked.
Once cool, strain the water but don’t throw it away.
Remove the bay leaf and grind the mixture to a paste with a tablespoon or so of the reserved water.
In another pot, bring water to a boil and add the spinach. Immediately switch off the flame, and cover the pot. Let this sit for 2 minutes. In the meanwhile, prepare a pot with water and ice cubes in it.
Strain the spinach leaves and dump them in the ice water. The leaves will immediately get a bright green color.
Let them sit for half a minute, strain, and grind the spinach to a fine paste.
In a pan, heat oil and add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Add the onion paste and cook for 3-4 minutes. Please note that we don’t want to brown the paste.Add tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes almost start breaking down.
Stir in garam masala, salt, spinach paste and some of the reserved water. Bring this to a boil and then let it simmer for 5 minutes. You can add more water depending on how thick or thin you like your gravy.
Heat the paniyaram or appe pan and brush it with oil. Place kofta balls in the pan and cook them on all sides till golden brown. This should take 2-3 minutes on each side.
Add the kofta balls right towards the end and switch off the flame. Boiling the koftas may result in them breaking down. To temper the curry, heat ghee or butter in a small pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter, add asafoetida, smashed garlic and whole red chilies. Switch off the flame and pour this on top of the curry. I also have a tip below for you to get the greenest palak curry, just the way it is when you eat outside, but with NO added colour! So if you try this out, leave me a comment below! Hearing back from you makes all this effort worthwhile!