Veg Paneer Kofta in Spring Mix Green Gravy

Really frustrating to see some of the Spring Mix Salad bought from Costco getting spoiled at the end, though we consume a considerable quantity to our level of satisfaction...I really wanted to make use of all the Spring Mix that we buy from the wholesale Costco. Before I used to make Pappu out of the leftover Spring Mix salad but  this time I wanted to try out something different with this salad mix. Using Paneer ( which is an all-time favourite at home), I made some crunchy Koftas and made them to dance in my healthy Spring Mix Green Gravy...I followed the same procedure of Palak Paneer for making this Green Gravy. With few tricks, the dish got upgraded and a perfect Kofta gravy was achieved...( with my leftover Spring Mix salad..!!!) . More than that, I felt so relieved while throwing the big Spring Mix Salad Box without any wastage in it.

Ingredients

Photo Courtesy by Wiki -- Spring Mix Salad

For the Green Gravy
Spring Mix Salad - 5 cups fully
Ripe Tomatoes - 2 Big
Green Chillies - 1 Big
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp


For the Koftas
Potato - 3 medium
Carrot - 2 medium
Peas - 1 Handful
Beans - 6 or 8
Green Pepper / Capsicum - 1/2 Medium
Paneer - 1 Cup shredded
Yellow Corn Flour - 1/2 cup
Water - Little to make the corn paste.
Salt - To Taste
Turmeric Powder  - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Dhana Jeera Powder / Coriander Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 pinch
Oil - Enough for frying the Koftas

For the Main Process
Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter or melted ghee - 1 tsp ( just for flavour , optional )
Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
Garlic Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp
Onion Shredded / finely sliced - 1/2 cup
Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp
Red chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Cumin / Dhana Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 Pinch
Thick whole Milk - 2 tbsp
Salt - To Taste

Method

Paneer Veg Koftas

Kofta Preparation

In a big thick bottomed vessel, cook all the vegetables including Green Pepper / Capsicum completely and keep them ready. To the cooked veggies, add the crumbled paneer and the other ingredients as mentioned above, and make small balls. In a plate, add the yellow corn flour and add few drops of water and make a moist powdery paste.( Not like bajji batter...). Roll the Veg Paneer Kofta ball on the surface of the moist corn flour so that it gets coated uniformly in all the directions.

Fry them till golden brown in the oil. Continue the process for the rest of the balls and keep the fried koftas ready.

Gravy Preparation

In the cooking pan, add the Spring Salad Mix, tomatoes, green chillies and cumin seeds and allow them to cook inside for few minutes. No need to add water. Let them cook with the steam inside on a low flame. When its cooked and shrunk in size, grind them together with little water and keep the green gravy paste ready.

Main Process

• In the cooking pan, add oil and little melted ghee / butter first. When its heated, add cumin seeds.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry them till the raw smell vanishes.
• Add the onion pieces next and fry them with a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes.
• Add all the powders as mentioned above and fry them again for a minute.
• Add the green gravy paste and required amount of salt, 1 tbsp of thick whole milk and add some water if required.
• Allow the gravy to cook well with all the spice powders for 5-6 minutes.
• Switch off the flame when the gravy is done which can be noted with the appearance of little oil oozing out of the edges, in the middle slightly.
• Finally before serving, place the koftas in the serving bowl and pour the gravy on its top.

Tips / Variations

• You can add Tofu, shredded cabbage, tiny cauliflower florets or any other suitable vegetables of your choice while making the Koftas.
• You can add few drops of fresh cream on its top just before serving to make it more appealing and richer.