My Special Holi Thali-RAW BANANA KOFTA STUFFED WITH CREAM (No Onion Garlic Recipes)

Holi was quite a hit with friends and family spending some quality time together. I decided to spend my time in the kitchen for churning out some special meals for my loved ones. It is always a pleasure cooking for family and friends and it adds up the excitement quotient during festivals.

My son specially enjoyed it with his friends and “Holi” was a big fun event for all of them, with all the kids unrecognizable, smeared in innumerable colors by the end of the day. I was having nightmare thinking about the process of scrubbing off the colors. By end of it, my son had two different colored ears :)

I have always believed that meals cooked with love can bond us to our kith and kin, while food can evoke memories.  So I decided to wear my special apron to cook up a memorable meal for the festival of colors “Holi”.

I decided to make a special Thali (Platter) for “Holi” Lunch. Traditionally on festive occasions like holi, we offer our food first to god and goddess before having ourselves and the dishes cooked are no onion garlic recipes.

Thali means platter. It is a complete meal with balance of all flavors and textures. The concept of “Thali” is that all the nutrients are included in a meal plate. As with most of the Indian customs/rituals, the Thali also has scientific reasoning behind it — right from the content of “Thali” to its presentation. The selection of the menu is motivated by availability of seasonal vegetables and fruits which provides required nutrient and minerals to body for that particular climate/season.

My special “Holi Lunch” Menu consisted of the following dishes:

-MALAI DILKHUSH KELE KE KOFTE (RAW BANANA KOFTA STUFFED WITH CREAM)

-BADAMI PANEER (COTTAGE CHEESE IN ALMOND TOMATO GRAVY)

-MATAR PULAO (PEAS PULAO)

-MASALEDAR KADDU KI SABZI(SPICY PUMPKIN VEGGIE)

-DAHI VADA

-POORI

It was a real treat, I agree it was a heavy meal but a little bit of sinful indulgence is allowed during festivals.

I’ll be sharing the recipe of two dishes mentioned above- MALAI DILKHUSH KELE KE KOFTE & BADAMI PANEER (COTTAGE CHEESE IN ALMOND TOMATO GRAVY) purely because they were different than the other common entrant on my “Thali recipe”.

I will confess that I have been too liberal in choosing the basic ingredients for making this kofta curry. I am not sure whether anyone has tried it before but this surely is the result of my imagination and the result was sinful:) but I guess we are allowed to feed ourselves royally on occasions like Holi.

The name selected for the raw banana dumpling (MALAI DILKHUSH KELE KE KOFTE )curry is virtuously for using dry fruits as the main base.

Dry Fruits are commonly used in Indian cooking for thickening gravies and adding volume. However I have used poppy seeds, cashew nuts and some sunflower seeds to create the gravy of the dish. This lovely white gravy is prepared with loads of cashew nuts and poppy seeds. Coriander adds some color to the gravy while the malai kofta just melt in your mouth!

I have given a melting texture to the raw banana dumplings by filling malai (cream) as a stuffing.

Now quickly over to the recipe before I get lost is explaining the stunning flavor of the recipe.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes

Serves: 5-6 people

Ingredients:

For The Raw Banana Dumplings or Kofta’s

Boiled and Mashed Raw Banana: 4 Bananas

Grated Ginger: 1 ½ tsp

Coriander Powder: 1tsp

Salt: As per requirement

Cumin Seeds:1 tsp

Garam Masala Powder:

Chopped green Chilli: 2-3 finely chopped

Dry Mango Powder: 1 tsp

Fennel Powder: ½ tsp

Chopped Green Coriander leaves: 2 Tbsp

Refined Oil: For Frying the Dumplings

For the Dumpling Filling:

 Devonshire/ Clotted Cream (Malai): 1 Cup

Finely Chopped Cashew Nuts: 7-8

Finely chopped Raisins: 2 tbsp

Chopped Green Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Green Chilli: 2 Finely Chopped

Salt: As required

For the Gravy:

Cashew Nut & Sunflower seeds Paste soaked in Milk: 1 cup (Avoid making a runny paste)

Poppy seed Paste: 1 cup (Soak it in milk overnight and grind it in mixer without water to get a smooth paste)

Milk: ¼ Cup

Grated Ginger: 1tsp

Whole Clove & green Cardamom- 3 gms

Bay Leaves: 2 broken

Cumin Seeds: 2 tsp

Asafetida: ½ Tsp

Turmeric Powder: a pinch

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 1 ½ tsp

Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp

Sabzi Masala Powder: 1 tsp (I have used Kitchen King)

Kasoori Methi (Dry Fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp

Chopped Green Coriander leaves: 2 tsp for garnish

Clarified Butter: 1 tbsp

Method:

1.    Pressure cook (boil) raw banana with the skin for 2 whistles. Add 2-3 drops of oil while pressure cooking the bananas to avoid black stains on your utensils.

2.    Remove water and leave it to air dry. Take care to remove all the water else the koftas/dumpling will break while frying.

3.    Peel and mash bananas and add all the other ingredients of the koftas (dumplings) together.

4.    Combine the ingredients of the filling and mix well. Make sure it’s not a runny paste.

5.    Take small portions of the kofta mixture and flatten the portion with your hands. Then stuff the filling mixture into it and shape them into roundels for the dumplings (Kofta’s).

6.    Usually you don’t need to add any extra ingredient for binding but if you feel you can add some corn flour to be sure enough.

7.    Now fry the raw banana dumpling over low flame till it turns golden.

8.    Keep aside the fried dumplings to prepare the gravy.

9.    Heat ghee in a frying pan and add cumin seeds, whole cardamom, cloves and bay leaves to sizzle.

10. Now you can add the asafetida and all dry spice powder over low flame. Stir it till the raw smell of the spices evaporates.

11. It’s time now to add the cashew nut & sunflower paste to the pan and keep stirring it continuously over medium flame. Fry it till it gets a light golden color and starts leaving the pan sides.

12. Now add in the poppy seeds paste and cook it for 10-12 minutes till oil starts separating on top of the gravy.

13. Next step is to add in milk slowly over low flame to the gravy by stirring it continuously or else the gravy might get crumbled. Add water as required to attain the correct consistency of the gravy.

14. Simmer the gravy for 10-15 minutes over low flame and boil it on high flame for 5-8 minutes before putting of the flame.

15. Crush the kasoori methi (fenugreek) leaves on top of the gravy and allow it to cook in its heat for 5-7 minutes (standing time).

16. Garnish the gravy with generous amount of coriander leaves.

The gravy is all set to be plated. The perfect way of plating this dish is to pour the gravy on top of the dumpling just minutes before serving or else there are chances of the dumplings getting soggy.

PHEW!!!! Complicated????? Well it’s easier than it sounds…Do try this out and savor the amazing aroma which will surely stimulate your taste buds.

Watch out the space for the other interesting entrant to my Holi Thali “BADAMI PANEER (COTTAGE CHEESE IN ALMOND TOMATO GRAVY)