Lentil Koftas with Tomato Curry Coconut Sauce

I am a big fan of spices, curry and making my own patties. So these mixed Lentil Koftas with Tomato Curry Coconut sauce were a joy to make. I’ve used mixed lentils to give a range of textures to the koftas, which are full of flavour from the spices (they could even be eaten on their own in a sandwich without the sauce). The tomato curry is creamy from the coconut, with its spices contrasting beautifully with the koftas. The ‘meaty’ koftas with the creamy sauce are the perfect combination.

Louise and I have both inputted into this recipe – which makes it much more fun! I came up with the original recipe, then when Louise made the koftas again later on, she decided to use a short cut for the curry sauce. Koftas are one of those things that are made throughout the Middle East, and are found throughout Indian & Pakistani cooking, both with and without sauce. We particularly love them with curry sauce as the flavours meld & blend so deliciously!
We are both fans of short cuts when you’re time poor and just need a helping hand. However, we try to use healthy shortcuts, and products we love. So instead of making the curry sauce from scratch, Louise used Honestly Co’s Masala Curry spice mix, with a tin of coconut milk & some onions & peppers. We’ve been using their amazing mixes in our subscription and gift boxes as they are authentic spice mixes made by two skilled sisters of Pakistani origin who wanted to bring the taste of their culture’s food to their customers without them spending hours in the kitchen. They have no artificial ingredients and are a small business, which we love supporting.

Koftas are much easier to make than you think. You actually just mix all the ingredients in together! Using your hands is key to make sure everything is combined. I love using my hands in cooking as I feel it connects me more to the food, and sometimes almost reminds me of childhood cooking. The two types of lentils are a great combination, as red lentils are very small and almost become one substance when cooked and smushed together. But the green lentils stay more separate from each other, and help give the koftas a chunkiness to them. If you don’t have green lentils, other chunker lentils like brown lentils will work just fine.

The koftas are bound with ground chia seeds which are then mixed with water. Using ground linseed instead will work just fine too. It also helps that chia seed are also packed full of protein! The buckwheat flour also helps bind them, and gives them chewier texture, which is what you want from a kofka. Other flour works too, so just use what you have. Buckwheat flour or almond flour are great if you need the dish to be gluten free.

Once you have fried or baked the koftas, it’s nice to simmer them in the curry sauce for a few minutes. This adds a lovely extra flavour to them, ensuring they are tender yet with a little of the crunch on top. I like to serve my koftas on rice, with the curry sauce, topped with fresh coriander or parsley. If you want to go the extra mile, serve with a vegan raita (vegan yoghurt with mint and cucumber) and some flatbread. So easily elevated to dinner party meal!!
Top tip: double the kofta mixture and put half the mixture in the freezer for another time, this ensures a quick, tasty & easy meal for future you!

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Mixed Lentil Koftas with Tomato Curry Coconut Sauce

Prep Time

20 d

Cook Time

30 d

Resting time

1 hr

 

These mixed lentil koftas (which are also gluten free) with tomato curry coconut sauce are easy to make. The mixed lentils give a range of textures to the koftas, which are full of flavour from the spices (they could even be eaten on their own in a sandwich without the sauce). The tomato curry is creamy from the coconut, with its spices contrasting beautifully with the koftas. The ‘meaty’ koftas with the creamy sauce are the perfect combination.

Course: main, starter

Cuisine: asian, Indian, lebanese, middle eastern, pakistani

Keyword: coconut, curry, gluten free, kofta, pattie, rice, spices, vegan kofta

Servings: 4 people

Author: Vanessa

Ingredients

Mixed Lentil Koftas

• 250 g cooked red lentils (or 1 tin drained red lentils)
• 250 g cooked green / brown lentils (or 1 tin drained green lentils)
• 1/2 cup Chopped Coriander
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp Chia seeds, milled / ground, mixed with 4 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour (or any other flour will work)
• 6 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 tsp pepper
• Some oil for frying (optional)

Tomato Curry Coconut Sauce

• 1 Onion, chopped finely
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger, grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes or a chopped chilli
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tin coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh coriander
• 1/4 cup sultanas (optional)
• 3 tsp coconut palm sugar / maple syrup

Instructions

Mixed Lentil Koftas

1. Put all ingredients, except the oil for frying (if using), in a mixing bowl. Mix well so all ingredients are well and evenly combined. It is best to use your hands to do this.

2. Put in the fridge for at least an hour to let the mixture firm up.

3. Mould into oblong kofta-shaped pieces.

4. Fry in some oil until brown on the outside and cooked all the way through. Or bake on a lightly oiled tray for 25-30 minutes in a 200 C oven, or until the koftas have browned.

5. Simmer in the curry sauce for about 5 minutes so the koftas absorb a little of the sauce but stay browned on top.

Tomato Curry Coconut Sauce

1. In a medium sized pan, fry the onion in some olive oil for a few minutes, then add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili, garlic and ginger. Fry for a further few minutes for all the flavours to be released.

2. Blend the fresh coriander with tomatoes and add to the onion and spices. If you don’t have a blender just add the tomatoes as they are and chop the coriander finely. Add the coconut milk then cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the sultanas (if using) and the coconut palm sugar / maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper.