Modern Masala: Indian Plantain Kofta in rich Cashew nut gravy.

McCormicks produce the Schwartz range of spices and each year they produce a flavour favour forecast which highlights five top food trends. This year’s top five food trends are:

Chillies Obsession

Modern Masala

Clever compact cooking

Mexican world tour

Charmed by Brazil

I recently received a spice hamper from McCormicks and a request to create a dish inspired by one of the five food trends. In the hamper there was smoked paprika, cayenne chilli pepper Chinese five spice, sesame seeds, medium curry powder, oregano, kaffir lime leaves, fenugreek, onion salt, mint, crushed chilli flakes, asafoetida, ground ginger, ground cloves, minced garlic, black onion seeds, garam masala, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, ground coriander, ground cumin and minced garlic, chilli powder, whole red chillies and kaffir lime leaves. My recipe is inspired by Modern Masala which uses an array of Indian spices to create a dish.

Plantain Kofta- Spicy plantain balls, cooked with a blend of aromatic spices in a rich and creamy cashew nut gravy.

Preparation time – 15 minutes (chilling time 30 minutes)

Cooking time- 20 minutes

Serves- 4

 Ingredients:

For Kofta:

2 plantains

1/2 teaspoon schwartz ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon schwartz chilli  powder

1/2 teaspoon schwartz onion salt

3 tablespoons corn flour

1 pinch bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon amchur (dried mango) powder

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon schwartz ground cloves

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon schwartz white sesame seeds

300 ml Sunflower oil for deep frying Kofta.

For Gravy:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Small pinch schwartz asafoetida

2 schwartz red dried chillies 

2 schwartz cardamon pods

½ teaspoon schwartz cumin seeds

1 medium red onion finely diced

½ teaspoon schwartz minced garlic

½ teaspoon schwartz ground ginger 

2 medium tomatoes chopped and blended to a puree

1 teaspoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon schwartz ground coriander 

½ teaspoon schwartz ground cumin 

½ teaspoon schwartz chilli powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon schwartz garam masala

2 tablespoons cream or plain yoghurt

60 grams / 2 oz cashew nuts

For Garnish:

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander

2 spring onions finely sliced.

 Method:

For Kofta:

1. Boil the plantains till well cooked, allow them to cool slightly and then peel skin off and mash with a potato masher ensuring there are no lumps.

2. Add the ground ginger,chilli powder,onion salt,1 pinch bicarbonate of soda, fresh coriander finely chopped, salt, amchur (dried mango) powder, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, turmeric, white sesame seeds and corn flour. Add a little more corn flour if needed.

3. Divide the mixture into 10 parts and roll into 10 walnut sized balls. Refrigerate the balls  for 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes, heat the oil in pan and fry the plantain balls on medium heat till golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and keep aside.

For Gravy:

1. Soak the cashew nuts in 1 cup water for 10 minutes, once soaked grind to make a smooth cashew nut paste. Keep aside

2. In a pan heat the oil when hot add  a pinch of asafoetida, the cumin seeds, dry red chillies and cardamom pods. Once cumin seeds splutter add the onion and cook till translucent, add the garlic granules and ginger powder and sauté for 2 more minutes.

3. Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, chilli powder, salt , ground coriander and cumin and cook till gravy starts to separate from oil.

4. Add the cashew nut paste and the garam masala and simmer till gravy thickens for 3-4 minutes.

5. Remove the gravy from the heat and stir in the cream or yoghurt.

6. Place the pre prepared koftas in a serving dish. Spoon the gravy generously over the kofta’s and garnish with chopped spring onions and freshly chopped coriander.

Serve with boiled rice.

In 2014 global flavour leader McCormick, parent company of UK leading herbs and spices brand Schwartz is celebrating its 125^th anniversary. The yearlong celebration kicks off with the launch of the 125^th Anniversary Edition of the Flavour Forecast and the Flavour of Together programme, with the goal of connecting people around the world as they share 1.25 million stories about the special role food and flavour plays in our lives.

I was sent the Schwartz hamper to create a recipe, all views and opinions stated in this post are my own.