Pumpkin Kofta Savory (कद्दू के कोफ्ते की सब्ज़ी)

Kaddu Kofta Sabzi

Koftas are a variety of fritters. Koftas can be made from different vegetables and Paneer (Cottage cheese. The technique of making koftas varies for different vegetables.  Vegetable which have high amount of juices (water content) need slightly more gram flour (Besan) and paneer, methi, etc. which have less water content require less besan. I do not squeeze the juice from grated vegetables because the juices of the vegetables are high in nutrient. Since juices of vegetables is not squeezed and discarded thus addition of water while making the batter for koftas (Fritters) is not required. Vegetables like lauki (Bottle gourd),gajar(carrots), Patta Gobhi (cabbage), Kaddu(Pumpkin) can be introduced into meals of children who are picky about these vegetables , by making koftas. Koftas can be had as snacks as well as they can be used to make sabzi by making yummy gravy and dunking these koftas in the gravy. You will be surprised how all family members including children will enjoy the kofta sabzi (Fritters savory) with hot chapati/paratha.

Always read Tips and Alternate suggestion. They are very helpful.

    Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes

    Cooking Time:

               To make Kofta 15 minutes

               To make gravy: 10 minutes

    Servings: 

              15 koftas

              5 Medium servings of sabzi

    Nutritional Value  of Kaddu Kofta Sabzi made from given amount of ingredients:

• Energy: 255 calories
• Fats: 50 gm
• Protein: 1.0 gm
• Fibers: 2.0 gm
• Sugars: 1.5 gm
• Carbs: 6.5gm
• Sodium: 3mg
• Potassium: 440mg
• A,D,Iron

Ingredients Required For Making Koftas:

• 150 gm Unripe Green Kaddu (Unripe green pumpkin)
• 5 tablespoon Besan (Chickpea flour)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt (Or to taste)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ajwain (Carom seeds)
• 1-2 Green Chilies
• 5-6 Sprigs of green coriander
• 1 Pinch of Turmeric powder
• Oil for frying

Direction For Making Kaddu/Pumpkin Koftas:

• Remove the seed part of the pumpkin discard the seeds and the fibrous mass holding them.
•  Do not peel the pumpkin. Grate the pumpkin along with the peel.

Grated Green Pumpkin 

• Slit the green chilies and remove the seeds. Chop the cleaned green chilies.
• Chop coriander.
• Take the grated pumpkin in a bowl and add:
• Besan
• Salt
• Ajwain (Carom)
• Chopped green chilies
• Chopped coriander
• 1 Teaspoon oil
• 1 pinch of Cooking Soda

Mixture for Kofta Batter

• Mix nicely.
• As pumpkin has enough water thus addition of water is not required to mix all the ingredients and make batter.

Kofta batter

• Heat cooking oil in a wok, the oil should be hot but not smoking. Once the oil is hot enough lower the heat.

Batter being add to hot oil for making Kofta

• Drop dollops of mixture to the hot oil and fry them on low heat till golden brown. The amount of batter you put in oil for frying depends on the size of koftas you want. I use I table spoon (Approx.) batter. From the above mixture I got 12 Koftas.

Koftas frying

• These koftas can be used immediately for savory or can be stored in fridge to be used later. The taste and texture of koftas is maintained even after a week  in the fridge.

Soft fluffy Kaddu Koftas

Ingredients Required For Making  Kofta Savory:

• 75 gm Onion 
• 100 gm Tomato
• 5-6 Cloves of Garlic
• 2-3 cm Piece of Ginger
• 2-3 Cloves
• 3-4 Pepper
• 1cm stick of Cinnamon
• 1 Green Cardamom
•  Nutmeg (A small pinch grated)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 2 tsp Salt or to taste
• 1/2tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2tspoon garam masala
• 3-4 Sprigs of fresh coriander leaves
• 2ml. Oil

Direction for Making Kofta Sabzi (Pumpkin fritters sabzi):

• Peel and chop onion to fine pieces.
• Chop tomato roughly and grind it to fine paste.
• Peel garlic and ginger and grate them.
• Coarsely crush cloves and black pepper, green cardamon and cinnamon.
• Heat oil in thick bottom wok and when the oil is hot enough (not smoking hot) lower the heat and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering add :
• Cloves
• Pepper
• Nutmeg
• Green cardamom
• Cinnamon

Spices in hot oil 

• Cook for 4-5 sec. then add grated garlic and ginger.  Cook for 10-15 seconds. Garlic pieces will start turning light golden in color. Immediately add finely chopped onions and cook on low heat with constant stirring for 2-3 minutes. Onion pieces will turn translucent.
• Add tomato paste and cook on low heat with constant stirring till tomatoes get cooked completely. The mixture in the wok will start leaving the edges and oil will start separating. At this stage tomatoes are cooked completely.
• Add:

• Red chili powder
• Coriander powder
• Salt
• Cook on low flame for 30-40 second

All spices added to Onion Tomatoe mixture

• Add koftas in the cooked mixture in the wok. Mix with gentle hand such that the mixture covers all koftas. Cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes . Stir once flipping the koftas.

Koftas cooking in Curry paste

• Add 200 ml. water and bring the heat to high. Give one boil.

After adding water and giving one boil

• Switch off the heat.
• Add 20 ml cream and garam masala and mix nicely.

After adding cream and Garam masala

• Cover and let the spices of garam masala seep into koftas.
• Kaddu Kofta sabzi is ready.
• Remove the kofta sabzi (Kofta savory) in a serving bowl, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Kaddu Kofta Sabzi

• Kaddu kofta sabzi (Pumpkin fritters savory) is ready to be served with Roti/parantha/ steamed rice.
• https://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2011/10/roti-indian-bread-no-oil-dry-so-low-on.html?m=0

Tips:

• Chop the onion very fine or make paste then cook. If onion pieces will not be fine, then the gravy will not come out good.
• Do not allow the onion to brown, if onion become brown then the color and taste of gravy will not be good.
• Always taste the chili powder for its hotness and use accordingly.
• Once kofta are added then mix very gently and do not cook except for giving a boil. Else koftas will break in the gravy making the sabzi a big mish mash thing. I forgot to switch off the heat and remembered after 2-3 minutes and the result was a wok full of tasty kofta Mash.

Suggested Variations:

• 1 Teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder can be added to impart red color and flavor of chili to gravy.
• I always make the gravy paste and freeze in ice trays. They are easier to use and big time and effort saver.
• https://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2020/04/oil-less-indian-curry-paste-onion.html?m=0

Frozen curry paste

• Take required number /amount of frozen gravy paste. Thaw it or direcly add it to the tempered oil. Cook on low heat till it starts leaving the edges and the oil starts separating.

Frozen curry apste cooking in tempered oil

Gravy base is ready 

• Add
• Chili powder
• Coriander powder
• Salt Turmeric and cook
• Cook on low flame for 30-40 seconds
• Gravy can be made separately. Koftas and gravy can be stored in firdge for later use to make sabzi as and when required.
• Add 250 ml water and bring the heat to high. Once the mixture stars boiling then lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add 20 ml cream and mix nicely.
• Gravy for kofta is ready.
• Let it cool and store in container. Boil the gravy and add the koftas. Cover and allow the koftas to soak in the gravy. 

• Ginger and garlic can be replaced by Ginger and garlic paste in 1:1 proportion.
• Koftas can be made in Appe pan, this will reduce the oil content in sabzi as well as the calorific value also.

Gowar Ki Sabzi (Indian Savory Of Cluster Beans)

Gavar / Cluster Beans sabzi

Gowar/Gwar/Gavar /Cluster beans are rich source of protein, minerals and dietary fibers. First time I had gowar vegetable was in hostel mess in Jaipur when I was doing Ph.D. I did not like it and till very late did not develop the taste for it. When I came to Pune after marriage my maid an old lady whom I used to call amma made gowar sabzi for me and it was delicious. Later on I came to know tremendous health benefits of Gowar / Cluster beans. Now I make gowar one a week. Gowar sabzi tastes amazing with Jowar/bajra bhakri.

Even if the reader does not like cluster beans the below mentioned nutritional values and health benefit s will surely encourage to make this tasty vegetable and enjoy it with roti/parantha/bhakri.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time:30 minutes
Servings: 3 -4 large servings

Nutritional value of Gowar/Cluster beans sabzi (Made from 250 gm gowar. Approx. values)

• Energy: 143 cal.
• Protein: 15 g,.
• Carbs: 27.5 gm,
• Fats: 11.1 gm.
• Dietary Fibers: 10 gm.
• Apart from this Gavar is loaded with Iron, calcium, Zinc , Phosphorous and many other micro nutrients.

Few health benefits are being listed below

It controls blood sugar thus is good for people suffering from diabetes.

Being rich in calcium and phosphorous it helps in maintaining bone strength and bone density.

High iron content coupled with the presence of phytochemicals helps and enhances the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.

Being rich in Vitamin K and Folic acid it is good for pregnant ladies. These nutrients help in normal growth of the baby in mother’s womb.

High dietary fibers help in digestion and good bowl movement,

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic index of cluster beans makes them best natural aid for people suffering from hypertension.

Ingredients Required For Gavar/Cluster beans Sabzi;

• 250 gm: Gowar/Gavar/Cluster beans
• 50 gm: Onion
• 4-5 : Cloves of Garlic
• 1-2: Green chilies
• 5-6 Tablespoon: Roasted Coarsely ground groundnuts
• 1/2Teaspoon: Turmeric
• 1 Teaspoon: Red chili powder (optional)
• 1 Teaspoon: Dry raw mango powder (Amchur)
• 1 Teaspoon: Cumin seeds
• 1/2Teaspoon: Mustard seeds
• 10-15: Curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 10 ml: Cooking oil

Direction For making Gavar Ki Sabzi:

• Trim the beans from top and bottom ends. Try to remove as much strings as possible from the beans. Was and pat dry the beans.
• Either break the beans to an inch size or cut to the size of your choice.

Two different ways of cutting gavar

• In a pan take 500 ml.water add 1 teaspoon salt and heat it on high heat. Once water starts boiling add chopped / broken cluster beans and boil for almost 5 minutes without covering the pan. The beans will lose their bright green color and hard texture.

Boiled gavar

• Sieve the water from the beans and allow all water to drain off.

Boiled and drained Gavar

• Peel garlic and break green chilies to pieces. Pound them coarsely in a motar-pestle.

Pounded mixture of Green chilies and garlic

• In a wok/pan take 10 ml. cooking oil and heat it. Once the oil beacons hot add
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Green chilies and garlic mixture
• Curry leaves

• The seeds will splutter and curry leaves will become crisp after 30 sec of cooking on high heat.

Garlic-Green chilies along with seeds in oil

• Add finely chopped onion. Cook on medium heat stirring continuously till it becomes translucent.

Onions cooking 

• Add Gavar/cluster beans (Which have been boiled and drained) and mix nicely.

Gavar added to onion .....mixture

• Add
• Turmeric
• Salt
• Red chili powder

• Mix nicely and cover with the lid.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes stirring in between, ensuring the vegetable does not stick to the bottom.
• Add amchur powder and give a mix.
• Add  coarsely ground roasted ground nut powder mix nicely.

Gavar cooked with spices

Coarsely ground Groundnut powder added

• Switch off the heat. Cover the wok/pan and allow to stand for 5 minutes at least before serving. This will makes sure that all spices and ground nut flavor seep into beans nicely.
• Take out the cooked sabzi in a serving bowl. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Gavar sabzi 

Gavar/Cluster beans Sabzi

Enjoy with roti/bhakri/parantha along with Techa.

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2013/04/techa-spicy-pounded-mixture-of.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2011/10/roti-indian-bread-no-oil-dry-so-low-on.html

Tips:

• There are two types of gavar available in Indian market, Hybrid quality and indigenous (Gaawaran gavar). If you get Gaawaran gavar break it to pieces or just trim it. Hybrid one you can break to pieces or chop.
• Do not squeeze water from beans after boiling. It will make the boiled beans mushy.
• Remove the stem part from curry leaves before adding to the oil.
• Always test chilies and chili powder for hotness before adding. Hotness of chilies varies from variety to variety.

Alternate Suggestions:

• Two spoon garlic-ginger paste can be used in place of pounded garlic-ginger or chopped garlic ginger can also be used..
• Onion, garlic can be avoided if you do not prefer their flavor.
• One medium size potatoe can be chopped to 1 cm pieces and added before adding gavar to the tempered oil. Cook the potatoes till they are almost cooked then add boiled gavar.
• Ginger and pinch of hing (Aesafotida) can also be added along with onions.
• If want to avoid onion and garlic then pounded mixture of ginger and green chilies  and pinch of hing can be added instead of garlic and green chilies.

Gahat-Ke-Dubke/गहत के ड़ुब्के (Thick Broth Of Gahat with Spicy Dumplings)

Gahat-ke-Dubke

Gahat-ke-Dubke with Bathua-Raita and Palak-ka-Kapa

Gahat is grown from hills of Himalayan range to south of India Tamil Nadu. Its botanical name is Macrotyloma Uniflorum.  Kulthi / Hulga / Kuleeth /Hurali / Horse gram / Madras gram are the few common names of Gahat.

It is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating numerous health disorders including rheumatism, worm, conjunctivitis and piles. Gahat have astringent and diuretic properties and is believed to be beneficial for treating kidney stones, help to control various menstrual problems, reducing flatulence, for treating peptic ulcer, to lower cholesterol levels, helps to reduce excessive weight, controlling fever, for extracting phlegm, helpful for keeping the body warm during winter.

Well now a day we speak of health benefit and nutritional values but in good old days when people used to have this legume in Kumaon in two different ways. It can be cooked after soaking or without soaking, either as whole / powder or paste. All preparations are delectable and are cooked throughout the year in hilly regions of India. The reason behind this is, it is widely cultivated in Himalayan range, provides the much needed heat in cold climate of Kumaon and is highly nutritive. In my earlier blog I have written about a supremely tasty preparation called Ras which is made in winters. Gahat ke dubke is a thick broth of the paste of Gahat with dumplings of spicy Gahat. It is taken with steamed rice/Mandira (Barnyard millet/Mandira/Bhagar).

Folklores say that in earlier days when dynamite was not available to villagers for breaking the rocks they used to boil Gahat and pour the boiling water of Gahat in the crevices of rocks. Twelve hours alter the rock developed big cracks and thus easy to breakdown. How far there is truth in this folk I do not know but this much I know that it is used to break the stone of kidney. I can vouch the veracity of this concoction as the kidney stone cure. My husband’s kidney stone was broken to small pieces and thus got flushed out by taking hot soup of Gahat.

Nutritional fact for 100 gm of Gahat/Kuleeth/Hulga:

Cal: 321

Moisture: 12 gm.

Proteins: 22gm.

Fat: 0 gm.

Fiber: 5gm.

Carbohydrates: 57gm

Minerals: 3gm.

Calcium: 287 mg.

Phosphorus: 311mg.

Iron: 7mg.

Preparation Time: 20 min (Soaking time not included)

Cooking Time: 45-60-min

Servings: 8 large servings

Ingredients Required For making Gahat Ke Dubke:

• 100 gm Gahat
• 4-5 Cloves of Garlic (Optional)
• 1inch piece Ginger
• 2-3 Green chilies
• 1 Pinch of Asafoetida
• 2 teaspoon of Atta (Whole wheat flour)
• 1 Teaspoon Red chili powder or to taste
• 4-5 sprigs of fresh coriander leafs
• 1Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 2-3 whole Red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 10ml. cooking oil
• Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

• 1/2Teaspoon Red Chili Powder (optional)
• I teaspoon Ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/2Teaspoon Cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 2-3 Whole Red chilies
• 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Coriander leafs

Directions For Making Gahat-Ke-Dubke:

• Clean Gahat and wash nicely.
• Soak in water for 5-6 hrs.
• Drain the water and wash in running water.
• Take 1/4^th of the soaked Gahat and grind then coarsely.

Coarsely Ground Gahat

• Chop garlic and grate ginger.
• Wash and chop coriander and green chilies finely.
• Mix:
• Coarsely ground paste of Gaht
• Green chilies
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Chopped Coriander 
• Chopped Green chilies
• 1/4Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• Atta
• Salt
• Take 2-3 ml. oil in a wok and cook the mixture with continuous stirring till it changes the color and becomes thick enough to be made to balls.

Coarsely ground gahat cooked with spices

• Cool the cooked mixture and make small balls and keep aside.

Balls of Cooked coarsely Gahat

• Make fine paste of the remaining Gahat.

Fine Paste of Gahat

• In a thick bottom wok take 2-3 ml. of oil and heat it.
• When the oil is hot add:
• 1/2Teaspoon cumin seeds
• Asafoetida
• Red chilies (broken to pieces)

Tempering Ready

• When the seeds splutter and the chilies change the color, add:
• Fine paste of Gahat
• Salt
• Turmeric powder
• Red chili powder to it and bring the flame to low.

Fine paste of Gahat added to Tempering

• Mix nicely and cook for 10 min on low flame with continuous stirring. The paste will become thick and change the color. The cooked paste will start leaving the edges of wok.

Fine paste cooked and ready for water to be added

• Add 200 ml. of water and mix till a smooth mixture is formed.
• Add 200-300 ml. of water and cook on low flame with continuous stirring.

Water added and mixture made to lumpless mixture

• When the mixture comes to boil add the balls of coarse paste of Gahat. Bring the flame to high and turn the balls in the broth nicely. Make sure the balls do not break.
• Bring the flame to low, cover the wok and cook for 10 min. with intermittent stirring delicately.
• Add water to bring the broth to the consistency you want and cook for another 2-3 min. on high flame.

Ball of Gahat added to boiling gahat paste solution

• Heat ghee in a pan and to the hot ghee add:
• Cumin seeds
• Red chilies
• 1/2Teaspoon Red chili powder (Optional)
• Asafoetida
• When the seeds splutter, the chilies become darker in color seasonings ready. Pour the mixture over the Gahat-Ke-Dubke.

Gahat dubke with Seasoning

• Remove the cooked Gahat- ke-Dubke in a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leafs.
• Enjoy Gahat-Ke-Dubke with steamed rice or Mandira ka bhat.

Gahat-ke-Dubke

Tips:

• The paste for Balls should be coarse not roughly ground.
• Do not add too much water while grinding the soaked Gahat. Add in small proportions so that the coarsely ground paste as well as the finely ground paste is thick.
• While stirring after adding the Gahat balls stir with light hand so that the balls do not break.
• To avoid the Dubke to stick at the bottom use either non-stick wok or while stirring let the ladle go till the bottom of the wok.
• Check the degree of hotness of the chilies before adding.
• While adding water to cooked fine paste of Gaht to make the lump less mixture you can switch off the gas and once the mixture is formed start cooking again.

Suggested Variations:

• While tempering Gandrainy a spice of immense medicinal value can be added along with rest of the spices before adding the fine paste.
• Red chili powder can be replaced with green chili paste.  

Kumaoni Kaddu Ki Sabji (Kumaoni (Indian) Pumpkin Savory)

Pumpkin whether it is green or the ripe yellow one both are highly nutritious as it is a good source of vitamin A. In Kumaon Kaddu (pumpkin) is made in many different ways. My grandmother use to rush to her kitchen garden, when we used to land at her place all of a sudden, and make Kaddu with Bhanhga (a Kumauni spice not to be confused with bhang which causes intoxication) andwe used to enjoy it with rice or puri. What a taste!!! Was it the love of my granny or the hunger  I do not know, but the taste is so vividly etched in my taste buds and memory. Not only my son and daughter but their spouses who are not Kumauni also love this preparation of pumpkin. I wish when my grandchildren are born they can also remember my cooking the same way as I do my grandmothers cooking!

Preparation Time:10 min

Cooking Time: 30-40 min

Servings: 8 medium servings

Ingredients Required For Making Uttaranchali Kaddu Ki Sabji:

• 500 gm. Red (ripe) pumpkin / Green Pumpkin

• 100 gm. Bhanga (Kumauni spice)

Bhanga Seeds

• Juice of 2 lemons

• 4 Red whole chilies

• Salt to taste

• 1/2Teaspoon turmeric powder

•  1/2Teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

• 1 Pinch Asafoetida
• 1/2Teaspoon Jambu (Optional)

Jambu

• 5 ml. Mustard oil/Cooking oil

• 100 ml. Water

Direction For Making Uttaranchali Kaddu Ki Sabji:

• Remove all seeds and the soft inner portion to which seeds are attached.

• Wash the pumpkin after removing the seeds and the soft portion to which seeds are attached.

• Cut the pumpkin (Kaddu) to small pieces.

• In a cooker take

• Washed and cut Pumpkin

• 100 ml. water

• Salt

• Turmeric powder

• Close the lid and cook on high flame till pressure is built in the cooker.

• Lower the flame and cook for another 10 min.

• Switch off the gas, and allow the cooker to cool slowly.

• Take a thick bottom wok and heat it on high flame, when the wok is hot lower the flame.

• Add the bhanga seeds in the wok and roast the seeds with constant stirring till they become light brown color.

• Remove the roasted seeds in a bowl and allow them to cool.

• Grind the roasted seeds when they are cold to a smooth powder.

Roasted and powdered Bhanga

• Take oil in a thick bottom wok and heat on high flame till smoking hot. 

Mustard oil being heated in the wok

• Lower the flame and add mustard seeds, the let the seeds splutter for 30 sec.

• Add cumin seeds, whole red chili and cook for 30. Sec. The cumin seeds will splutter and become light brown and red chilies will become brown in color.

Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and whole red chilies added to hot oil

• Add asafoetida and immediately add boiled pumpkin.

Boiled Pumpkin added to the seasoning

• Add salt if required.

• Add red chili powder and cook on low flame with regular stirring and mashing. 

Cooking the boiled pumpkin with regular mashing

• The pieces of boiled pumpkin should get mashed nicely.

Pumpkin pieces mashed and the vegetable getting thick

• Add the powder of roasted bhanga seeds.
  

   

  Roasted and Powdered Bhanga added to  of Green Pumpkin

Roasted and Powdered Bhanga added to Yellow pumpkin

• Mix nicely and cook for maximum 2 min.

Bhanga mixed and the vegetable being cooked for 2 min. more

• Add the juice of lemons and mix.

Lemon juice added and gas switched off

• Switch off the gas.

• Add grated ginger, cut green chili, and chopped cilantro.

• Cover and let the flavors of green chili, coriander and ginger soak in the vegetable.
• This vegetable can be stored in fridge for 10-15 days also.

 Serve hot with Dal-Chawal / Puri

Tips:

• Do not remove the peeling from pumpkin because it contains Vitamins.

• Do not add too much water while boiling the pumpkin as pumpkin itself contains lots of moisture and will lose water while being boiled.

• The bhanga should be ground to fine powder to get smooth vegetable and maximum flavor and taste of bhanga in the vegetable.

• One or two roasted red chilies and some salt can be added to roasted bhanga before grinding this ensures that the bhanga is ground to fine powder.

• Do not take out the lemon juice too much in advance as it will turn bitter; squeeze the lemon just before you have to add the juice to the vegetable.

Suggested Variations:

• Mustard oil is best for this preparation but if do not wish to use mustard oil then any other cooking oil can be used. Do not take ghee/dalda it will spoil the taste.
• 2-3 cm piece of jaggery can be added to the vegetable before adding lemon juice.
• Tamarind pulp can be used instead of lemon juice, but the flavor of lemon add to the taste of this preparation.
• Jambu added to the Tadka (tempering) gives heavenly flavor to this preparation so if you have it use it along with rest of the ingredients of tadka.