Vegetarian Tomato Sauce For Kofta Balls Recipes

FISH KOFTAS IN TOMATO AND CARDAMOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Start with the sauce: In a large sauté pan (choose one that has a lid), heat olive oil, garlic, half the sliced chile pepper and a good pinch of salt over medium-low heat. Gently fry for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and golden. Remove 2 tablespoons of the oil (with some of the chile and garlic) and set aside.
• Add celery, shallot and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the same pan and continue to cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, lime zest and juice and the cardamom and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 1 1/2 cups/350 milliliters water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, turning the heat down if the sauce bubbles too much, and stirring once in a while.
• While the sauce is simmering, make the fish koftas: Add fish, pistachios, herbs, lime zest, chile and egg to a bowl with 3 tablespoons potato flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt and mix together well. Grease your hands with a little oil and roll the mix into approximately 12 golf-sized balls (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 ounces/45 to 50 grams each), applying pressure to compact them as you go. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams flour to a plate and roll each ball in the flour so they are coated.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish balls and cook for about 5 minutes, turning throughout until all sides are golden-brown and crisp. (Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside if it finishes before you finish the koftas.)
• After the sauce has been cooking for 20 minutes, transfer the balls into the sauce, drizzling over some of the frying oil (or return the sauce to medium heat). Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 4 minutes, until hot.
• Remove the lid and scatter the herbs and the remaining fresh chile over the top, then drizzle with the reserved garlic and chile oil. Serve hot, with lime juice added to taste, or with lime wedges alongside.

VEGETARIAN KOFTA BALLS (TOMATO SAUCE SEP. RECIPE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok or 2-quart saucepan.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Roll 24 balls, 1" in diameter.
• Place as many balls in the oil as possible, leaving enough room for them to float comfortably; fry over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the kofta is rich golden brown.
• Drain in colander.
• Place the kofta in the tomato sauce (separate recipe posted or use your own) for 5 minutes before serving.
• If after sitting the kofta soaks up most of the sauce, add a little water to produce more liquid.
• Serve with cooked spaghetti.

VEGETARIAN TOMATO SAUCE (FOR KOFTA BALLS)

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter over medium heat.
• Add garlic powder and fry for 30 seconds.
• Add carrot pieces and fry for 1 minute.
• Stir in the blended tomatoes and the ramining seasonings.
• Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove carrot pieces and bay leaves.
• Serve w/ Kofta balls over spaghetti.

KOFTA BALLS (BAKED)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400'F.
• Coat a 9x13 inch oven proof dish or pan with 2 tbsp. olive oil so all of it is well covered. If you want to use more then do, these balls will definitely stick to the bottom of the pan. It's happened to me every time.
• Grate the cauliflower and cabbage. I used my food processor and it saved a lot of time.
• Put all the other ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl and add the grated cauliflower and cabbage. Mix until well combined
• Let the mixture sit in the bowl for 20-30 minutes so the moisture from the cabbage and cauliflower can go into the flour. This will create a sticky mixture which is quite easy to roll into balls.
• Form into 1" balls. Place the balls into the oiled casserole dish. Drizzle the balls with more olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until the balls are a golden shade.
• Let them cool for a few minutes and then using a flexible spatula remove the balls into another dish that you have covered the bottom with 1/2 the jar of tomato sauce. I used a home made sauce I made, but jar sauce is also good here.
• Put the Kofta Balls on top of the tomato sauce then put the other half of the sauce on top of the balls and put in the fridge for a few hours to over night to let the tomato sauce absorb into the Kofta Balls.
• These can be reheated in the microwave for a few minutes if you like.
• Enjoy!