Nargisi Kofta in velvety Cashew-Kewra Gravy, this is a leveled up main dish to impress this festive season! With soft beetroot nargisi koftas stuffed with figs, dry fruits and paneer, you can’t get better than this!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE NARGISI KOFTA IN CASHEW KEWRA GRAVY:
For our gravy, we’ll start with onions, cashews, melon seeds, and green chilies. We’ll let these boil until tender and then drain and wash. Transfer this to a blender and blitz until it’s smooth and silky.
In a pan we’ll add oil and ghee, all the whole spices, ginger garlic paste, and green chilies. Let this sauce and add in the puréed gravy along with dhaniya powder. Let this start to heat up and then we’ll go in with some more water and let it cook covered. You’ll know it’s done with you start to see the oil separate on top.
Add in all the spices, sugar, and cream. Give this a mix and finish it off with kevda essence for that royal floral aroma!
For the filling of the koftas, we’ll mix together paneer with dry fruits and anjeer (dried figs). For binding, we’ll add cornflour and fresh breadcrumbs to our koftas, which will help them keep their shape and be super moist.
Shape small balls out of the beetroot mixture and fill with the dry fruits paneer filling. Seal this tightly with your hands and we’re ready to fry! Be patient as they get this beautiful golden brown color!
To serve, we’ll plate these Nargisi Kofta with our velvety Keira gravy, a drizzle of chili oil, and some microgreens. Serve this with some lachha parantha and lachhe wale pyaaz and an incredible Diwali dinner is sorted!
If you like this, please try my other recipes:
- Paneer Pineapple In Pistachio Gravy
- Mughlai Gobhi in Walnut Pomegranate Gravy
- Stuffed Peppers in Creamy Cashew Gravy
- Hariyali Paneer Makhani – Cottage Cheese in Creamy Tomatillo Gravy
Nargisi Kofta in a velvety Cashew Kewra Gravy, this is a leveled up main dish to impress this festive season! With soft beetroot nargisi koftas stuffed with figs, dry fruits and paneer, you can’t get better than this!
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 cups shallots (onions) , roughly diced
- 1 tbsp melon seeds (magaz)
- 15 pieces cashews
- 3 green chilies
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp ghee
- 1 small mace (javitri)
- 3 cloves
- 1 cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon sticks
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 black cardamom , only seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 green chilies , slit
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp kasoori methi
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tsp salt , to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp kewra water
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 tsp ginger green chili paste
- 3 small beetroot , raw and grated
- 3 medium potatoes , boiled and mashed
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp black salt
- 1/2 tsp salt , or according to taste
- 2 tbsp peas (optional) , boiled
- 2 slices bread , grinded to make fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp pistachio , finely chopped
- 5 cashews , finely chopped
- 5 almonds , finely chopped
- 3 dried figs , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp paneer , crumbled or 1 tbsp mashed and boiled potato
- 2 tbsp cilantro , finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- chili oil
- microgreens
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In a pan, heat your oil and add in your onions, melon seeds, cashews, green chilies, and water. Sauté this for 7-8 until the onions are tender.
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Drain and wash the boiled onion mixture and blend it together with yogurt.
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Then, in a pan, heat your oil and ghee. Add in whole spices, ginger garlic paste, and green chilies. Sauté this for 1 to 2 minutes and then add in your water, gravy base, and spices. Simmer the gravy until it comes to a boil. You’ll know the gravy is done when the oil separates on the top. Finish it off with sugar, cream, milk and kewra water.
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To make your koftas, in a pan heat oil and add in ginger and green chili paste, and beets. Sauté it for 5 minutes until all the water in the beetroot evaporates.
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Then add in boiled potatoes, boiled peas, and all the spices. Saute it for 2-3 minutes more, mast everything nicely and take it out on a plate. Let it cool to room temperature so that we can work with it.
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While your beetroot kofta base cools, in a bowl, combine your kofta filling ingredients.
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Once the kofta base is at room temperature, add in cornstarch and breadcrumbs, and mix until well combined. If the kofta dough is too wet, add in cornstarch 1 tsp at a time.
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Now, divide the dough into equal parts (I made 16) and shape them into balls. I used an ice-cream scooper for this so the koftas were of equal size. Grease your hands with oil and flatten the dough with your hands. Then add your kofta filling into the center. Seal the dough around the filling and and roll them into small round balls with the help of your palms. Then, lightly roll the kofta in all purpose flour before frying.
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First make only 1 small kofta and fry it in oil on 350 F or 170 C to make sure that they are not splitting. If the kofta starts splitting then add 1 tsp cornstarch more in the kofta dough.
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Then make the rest of the kofta balls and fry them in oil on medium heat until they are golden brown and crispy.
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When you are ready to serve, cut your koftas in half and warm them for 5 mins in an oven or air fryer.
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Then pour hot kofta gravy in your serving bowl. Place kofta pieces in them, and garnish with some chili oil and microgreens. Your Nargisi Kofta In Cashew Kewra Gravy is ready. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
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