Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,519

1 3/4 cups Coconut Milk or store-bought
1/2 cup Fresh Coconut Chutney with Cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons Basic Ginger and Green Chili Pepper Paste
4 medium russet potatoes (or any kind) about 1 1/4 pound
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala

1. Prepare the coconut milk, the chutney, and the ginger-chili paste. Then boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and grate them into a large bowl.

2. Into the potatoes mix in the cilantro, ginger-chili pepper paste, coriander, salt, baking soda, and chickpea flour and mix well. Divide into 15 to 20 portions. Working with each portion separately, using clean hands, flatten each into a patty and place about 1/4 teaspoon of the chutney in the center. Then shape the patty into a smooth, round ball, with the chutney inside. Repeat with the remaining portions.

3. heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer or until a small bit of the dough dropped into the hot oil rises to the top in 15 to 20 seconds. Add the potato balls to the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and fry, turning them around with a slotted spatula, until they are firm and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to an oven-safe serving dish.

4. To make the sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil (in which the koftas were fried) in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and lower the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly ad the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add any remaining coconut chutney and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the coriander and fenugreek seeds, then add the tomato and cook until it is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer 3 to 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

6. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pour the sauce over the kofta balls and mix lightly. Cover with foil and bake at least 15 minutes, or until the koftas absorb the juices and become soft. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,519
Calories from Fat: 728

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* Vegetarian Curries
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Bitter Melon Curry
Butter-Cream Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Buttermilk and Cucumber Creamy Curry
Chickpea Pancakes in Curry Sauce
Classic Spicy Curry Sauce
Crispy Fried Okra in Yogurt Sauce
Curried Almond and Poppy Seed Potatoes
Curried Baby White Turnips with Turnip Greens
Curried Eggplant with Hot and Spicy Lentil Nuggets
Curried Fresh Peas or Corn and Potatoes
Curried Jackfruit
Curried Soybean Nuggets
Diced Potato Curry with Pickling Spices
Eggplant Curry with Sambar Powder
Fenugreek Yogurt Curry with Fritters
Green Mango Curry
Haridwar Potato Curry
Hot and Tangy Goan Mixed Vegetables
Hyderabadi Tomatoes in Spicy Tamarind Sauce
Hyderbadi Spicy Eggplants with Roasted Peanut and Sesame Sauce
Kerala Cucumber Curry
Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry
Lotus Root Balls in Classic Curry Sauce
Mango Curry with Split Pigeon Peas
Minty Green Curry Sauce
Minty Pot-Roasted Potato Curry
Mixed Vegetables in Tomato-Cream Sauce
Mushrooms in Almond and Poppy Seed Sauce
Mustard Greens with Cauliflower Florets
Nani Mama's Yogurt Curry with Onion Fritter
Onion Wedges in Curry Sauce
Peach Halves in Savory Ginger-Peach Sauce
Pot-Roasted Fried Whole Potatoes in Yogurt Curry
Punjabi Chickpea Drops Curry
Punjabi Chickpea Flour Bits in Curry Sauce
Punjabi Mustard Greens
Quick Potatoes and Peas Curry with Tomato Sauce
Quick Punjabi Yogurt Curry
Rajasthani Chickpea Flour Bits in Yogurt Sauce
Rajasthani Potato Curry
Simple Turnip Curry
Sindhi Mixed Vegetables with Split Pigeon Peas
Sindhi Tamarind Curry with Vegetables
Soupy Gujarati Curry
South Indian Pumpkin Curry with Split Pigeon Peas
South Indian Yogurt Curry
South Indian Yogurt and Coconut Milk Curry with Vegetables
Soybean Nugget Curry with Red Bell Peppers
Spicy Curried Chickpea Drops
Spicy Lentil Nugget Curry with Potatoes
Spicy Okra Curry
Spicy Puréed Spinach Greens
Spicy Yogurt Curry with Spinach Ribbons
Spinach Balls in Green Curry
Spinach, Fenugreek Greens, and Broccoli
Stuffed Bell Peppers in Tomato-Cream Sauce
Stuffed Potato Balls in Tomato and Coconut Chutney Curry
Watermelon Whites in Tomato and Onion Sauce
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Yogurt and Potato Curry
Yogurt-Cream Sauce with Nuts
Zucchini Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce