Our Veggie Kitchen

I've been playing with VeganDad's Italian Meatballs quite a bit lately. I've got a batch in the freezer right now, to see how they reheat. I've also made Swedish Meatballs with good success. So, when we decided on Indian for a get together, I knew I had to make Koftas, one of my favorite Indian treats. These did not disappoint. They were warm, but not as hot as I had hoped. The spices blended wonderfully though. And you could have passed these off as meat to any omni. The texture was perfect.



Tempeh Kofta

Meatballs:
12 oz tempeh
1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1 onion, shredded
1 tbs vegan worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp browning sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs ginger, minced
2 serrano peppers, seeded & minced
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tbs cumin seed
2 tbs coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbs plain soy yogurt

Sauce:
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin seed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, grated
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup soy yogurt
1 cinnamon stick
9 whole cloves
9 cardamom pods

Meatballs:

Boil the tempeh for about 10 minutes and allow to cool. Grate tempeh and onion and combine with all remaining meatball ingredients. Kneed until all ingredients are combined and the dough becomes sticky. Set the refrigerate the dough for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Pour a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil onto a cookie sheet and put the cookie sheet into the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Form into 1 tablespoon sized balls, making about 35-40 balls. Small sized meatballs hold together better and have a much better texture. Don't make them too big.

Pull out the preheated cookie sheet and swirl the oil around, just to coat. Place the meatballs on the sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, turning the meatballs every 5 minutes or so, until the meatballs are evenly browned and slightly crispy.

Sauce:

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Add the onion. Saute, stirring often until the onions carmelize and turn brown. Add the tomatoes and ground spices. Tie the cinnamon stick, cardamon and cloves into a piece of cheesecloth and add to the pan. Saute for a couple of minutes. Stir in the yogurt and combine thoroughly. Pour the sauce into a 9x13 casserole along with the meatballs. Stir to coat, cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

6 Servings: 360 cal (16g fat, 27g carbs, 31g protein)