Serves: 4
Total Calories: 1,032

2 medium russet potatoes (or any kind)
2 small lotus roots (5 to 6 ounces each)
4 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
1 clove fresh garlic (large), peeled
1 to 2 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, stemmed
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground dried pomegranate seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying
4 cups (1 recipe) Classic Spicy Curry Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala

1. Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and mash them in a bowl. Peel and thinly slice the lotus coots. Then transfer them to a food processor along with the ginger, garlic, and green chili peppers and process until minced. Transfer to the bowl with the potatoes.

2. Add the cilantro, coriander, pomegranate seeds, cumin, salt, and baking soda and mix well. Then add the chickpea flour to make a soft dough. Divide the dough into 20 to 25 portions and, using clean hands, shape into smooth balls.

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 lotus-root balls into the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and deep-fry, turning them around with a slotted spatula until they are firm and golden, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to an ovenproof serving dish.

4. Prepare the curry sauce. Preheat the oven on 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: 1,032
Calories from Fat: 842

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Vegetarian Curries
Anaheim Peppers in Spicy Tamarind Sauce
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
Whole Cauliflower in Traditional Curry Sauce
Yogurt and Potato Curry
Yogurt-Cream Sauce with Nuts
Zucchini Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce