Turkish Potato Kofte
Kofte, or kofta, is more of a concept of ball-shaped food than a specific recipe, and is inherently open to interpretation, incorporating different meats or vegetables, cooking styles, and flavor pairings. They are found in the cuisines of the middle and near east, in the great swath of land that stretches from Albania to India. In Turkey alone there are more than 300 kinds of kofte, so if you can shape it into a ball and season it, you can call it kofte. Kofte can be eaten as the main course in a meal or as an appetizer or snack.
We chose this recipe because we wanted to present a vegetarian option for our Turkish Kofte Seasoning, and also felt we could get a little bit playful because of kofte’s wide appeal. Hence this fusion dish, which combines an Indian recipe with Turkish flavors. If you can’t find paneer you can use ricotta salata cheese, but be careful when you add salt since ricotta salata can be very salty. To make this vegan use extra-firm tofu instead of paneer. If you want a dish that is entirely Indian, just swap out Turkish Kofte Seasoning for Garam Masala or a curry powder, and enjoy.
For the kofte:
3 large russet potatoes
1 generous cup crumbled paneer or ricotta salata
1 teaspoon minced or finely grated ginger
2 Tablespoons fresh, finely chopped cilantro, parsley, or mint, plus more for a final garnish
1 teaspoon Turkish Kofte Seasoning
1 Tablespoon finely chopped cashews
1 Tablespoon finely chopped raisins
Fine Sea Salt as necessary
AP flour or corn starch
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the sauce:
1 Tablespoon each butter and olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons Turkish Kofte Seasoning
1 teaspoon Ground Fenugreek
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic
1, 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
15 cashew nuts, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Demerara Sugar
2 cups tomato puree
Water, if necessary
1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
1. Peel potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Boil until fork tender, but not falling apart, 15-20 minutes.
2. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, mix with paneer, ginger, Turkish Kofte Seasoning, cashews, raisins, and Fine Sea Salt. Mix together until fully combined; you may need to get your hands in there to ensure a full mix.
3. Roll into balls, slightly larger than golf balls. When the potatoes are all rolled into balls, toss them in a light coating of AP flour or corn starch. Set aside.
4. Make the sauce. Melt butter and oil together in a large pan or pot. When butter is melted, add Turkish Kofte Seasoning and Ground Fenugreek, and heat for about 1 minute or until spices are fragrant.
5. Add onion, and saute until they are soft and starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add garlic and ginger and saute for another 1-2 minutes.
6. When the onion mixture is soft and sauteed, add chopped cashew nuts and Demerara Sugar. Cook for about a minute, just to melt the sugar and lightly toast the cashews.
7. Add tomato puree and stir. If it seems like there’s not enough puree, toss in just enough water to make a sauce. Cook for 5-10 minutes longer, until tomato isn’t raw and it’s slightly thicker.
8. While sauce is cooking, add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a heavy pan about half way up. Heat it over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Tear off a small piece of potato kofte and toss it in the oil; if it starts to fry right away and bobs up to the top, it is ready. Ease kofte into hot oil and cook, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook approximately two minutes per side, flipping once, until kofte are brown and crispy all over. Cook in batches if necessary.
9. Once sauce is adequately cooked, carefully pour into a blender and puree until you have a sauce with a uniform, smooth consistency. Return the sauce to your pan and, over low heat, add cream until it is completely mixed in and warmed through.
10. Plate by laying down a thick layer of sauce. Place three kofte in sauce. Drizzle with sour cream, yogurt, or more cream, and top with additional chopped cilantro.