If you happen to know any person of Kashmiri Origin, then you probably have not only heard but relished this Delicacy before. This dish is mostly served as dry kebabs with chutney. I have tasted the Dry Kebabs on a formal occasion at a friend’s place and became a fan since then. In North India, you may find these kebabs with the name of Bhein Kofta or Lotus stem kofta Curry.
Ingredients:
( My Cup size: 1 cup = 200 ml) Nadru /Lotus Stems/ Bhein: 1 Big peeled, washed and boiled.
Onion: 1 (Small) finely chopped
Green Chili: 2 finely chopped
Boiled Potato: 1 Big
Salt to taste
Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp.
Garam Masala: 1 tsp.
Red Chili Powder: ½ tsp. (optional) or to taste
Ajwain / Carom Seeds: 2 pinches
Minced/Grated Ginger: 1 tsp.
Minced Garlic/Paste: 1tsp.
Sattu / Roasted Gram Flour: 2 tbsp.
Saunf / Fennel Seeds Powder: 1 tsp.
Juice of ½ lemon (medium sized)
Bread crumbs: 1cup (for coating)
For Makhani Gravy:
Tomatoes: 5 (medium sized)
Onion: 1 small
Capsicum green: 1 small
Garlic cloves: 7-8
Ginger: 2’’ / 1 tbsp. grated
Cashew (salted or unsalted):1/2 cup
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. Of Desi ghee /clarified Butter
Chicken Masala: 1 tbsp. (I used MDH)
Degi Mirch: for tempering
Water for consistency
Tomato Ketchup: 3 tbsp.
Tomato Puree: 2-3 tbsp.
Milk (optional):2 tbsp. (for gravy thickness)
Method:
Pre-preps for Makhani Gravy:
Before you start making your kababs, just do the following. In a pressure cooker, add tomatoes slit into 4. Ginger garlic, onion slit into 4, capsicum slit into 2 and deseeded ,cashew and 1/4th cup water, to avoid burning.
Pressure cook this till one whistle on high flame and then simmer and cook further till two more whistles.
Cool this mixture and grind into a fine paste. Sieve it and keep aside.
How to Make Nadru /Lotus Stem Kebabs:
Grate the boiled lotus stems. Grate the boiled potatoes. In a bowl mix these two along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
Frying the Kebabs:
Take a tbsp. full of this mix and roll between your hands to make a kabab. Apply a little oil if sticky, but do not add any more flour. Lotus stems and potatoes have a sticky texture so it’s fine. Coat with breads crumbs. Make all the kebabs like this and keep them in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
Heat Oil in a wok and start frying after 5 minutes. Fry on medium high flame otherwise they’ll soak oil. Keep these aside till you make the gravy.
For preparing the Gravy:
Heat 2 tbsp. of Desi Ghee /Clarified Butter in a pan. Add the tomato puree, salt and chicken masala. Sauté this on simmer till it leaves ghee on the sides of the pan.
Add the Makhani mixture which we had pressure cooked and kept aside.
Add tomato ketchup and cook until the Ghee separates.
For Tempering:
Heat Ghee in a pan. Add degi mirch powder. Shut the flame and keep aside.
Assembling to Serve:
In a serving bowl, place the kababs.Now, pour over the prepared gravy. Now, garnish with the red chili tempering and coriander leaves. Serve Hot.
Full recipe: Nadru Ke Kabab