Potato and paneer kofta (Aloo panir kofta)

Fritters are a common Indian snack. They are enjoyed primarily during teatime with a warm cup of sweet tea. There are numerous versions of fritters made with vegetables, lentils, and even meat to satisfy every palate.

Here is a very unique version. The soft potatoes are scented with spices and cilantro, and the paneer adds a delicious creaminess. These koftas are traditionally made with soft paneer that melts into the mashed potatoes, making them rich and decadent. However, you can also use cubed commercial paneer, just as I have, although you lose some of the fritters' creaminess.

In addition, you can bake, shallow fry, or deep fry these koftas, each adding more oil but making them more decadent and delicious. I served these with a tangy and fresh seasonal green mango chutney that complemented the flavours beautifully.

Yamuna Devi's cookbook is probably the first I bought when I moved to the US 30 years ago for my Ph.D. Over the years, I have cooked almost half the recipes, it is the cookbook that taught me technique, flavour profiles and always gave me a wonderful meal. This vegetarian cookbook is essential on any shelf, it is the bible of Indian vegetarian cuisine.

For more recipes from this fantastic cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

8 cups of water

1 cup fresh or cubed paneer (see introduction)

Mashed potatoes, from above

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 green chilli, minced, or to taste

2 tablespoons cilantro, minced

1 teaspoon ginger paste

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/4 cup chopped mixed nuts

Salt, to taste

Cream, if needed

oil or ghee, as needed

Add the potatoes to a pot with the garlic, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the potatoes are very soft. Check the potatoes by piercing them with a skewer; if the skewer goes through with minimal resistance, they are done. Remove from the water and cool. Peel and set aside.

Add the potatoes and all the ingredients to a bowl and mash well with your hands. If the mash is too dry, add a few tablespoons of cream to soften it. Taste for salt and spice, and adjust as needed. Form the mixture into 8-10 small flat and round patties.

There are several ways to cook these fritters.

To bake: Heat the oven to 375 ° F.

Oil an oven sheet, lay the patties on it, and spray with oil or brush with ghee. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crisp and golden on the surface.

To fry:

Melt two tablespoons of the ghee in a shallow frying pan. Add four patties to the pan and fry on high heat, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Flip after 4 minutes and fry for another 3 minutes. Both sides should be coloured gold. Repeat with the remaining patties and more ghee.

Serve immediately with green mango chutney.