Nawabi Kesar Koftas
by Tarla Dalal

The grandeur of this recipe is evident from the ingredients that go into the kofta. A range of dairy products, saffron and dry fruits give these Nawabi Kesar Koftas a melt-in-the-mouth texture and magnificent flavour.

The tangy gravy, flavoured with a rich paste of spices and nuts, adds to the luxurious feel of the koftas with its tongue-tickling flavour and luscious consistency.

It is worth indulging in ingredients like mava, raisins, cream and paneer that are used in this recipe, to relive the lives of the Nawabi kings!

Try other Nawabi recipes like Nawabi Curry and Nawabi Naan

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Nawabi Kesar Koftas recipe - How to make Nawabi Kesar Koftas

For The Kesar Koftas
a few saffron (kesar) strands
1 tbsp milk
1/4 cup grated mawa (khoya)
1/2 cup grated paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 cup boiled , peeled and grated potatoes
1 tbsp roughly chopped raisins (kismis)
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
salt to taste

To Be Blend Into A Smooth Paste (using 1/4 Cup Of Water)
3/4 cup sliced onions
1 tbsp broken cashewnuts (kaju)
1 tbsp chopped almonds (badam)
2 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
2 tsp aniseeds (vilayati saunf)
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2 tsp chopped ginger (adrak)
1 tsp chopped green chillies
4 whole dry kashmiri red chillies , broken into pieces
2 cardamoms (elaichi)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
a small stick of cinnamon (dalchini)
6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
salt to taste

For The Gravy
1 tbsp oil
4 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
salt to taste
1/4 cup fresh cream

For The Garnish
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

For Serving
rotis/parathas

Method
For the kesar koftas

Combine the saffron and milk in a small bowl and mix well.
Combine all the ingredients along with the saffron-milk mixture in a deep bowl and mix well.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai and deep-fry, a few koftas at a time, on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour from all sides.
Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.

For the gravy

Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the prepared paste and sauté on a medium flame for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato purée, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring continuously.
Add ½ cup of water, dried fenugreek leaves and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Lower the flame, add the fresh cream, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.

How to proceed

Just before serving, re-heat the gravy, add the koftas, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Nutrient values per serving

Energy	277 cal
Protein	7.3 g
Carbohydrates	16.4 g
Fiber	1.8 g
Fat	20.3 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	257.1 mcg
Vitamin B1	0 mg
Vitamin B2	-0.1 mg
Vitamin B3	0.8 mg
Vitamin C	8.6 mg
Folic Acid	17.3 mcg
Calcium	225.3 mg
Iron	1.1 mg
Magnesium	0 mg
Phosphorus	0 mg
Sodium	9.1 mg
Potassium	95.5 mg
Zinc	0.5 mg