Spicy Chickpea Koftas

There are thousands of varieties of koftas, some made from vegetables, cooked dals and always herbs and spices. Usually the shaped koftas are fried in oil, though they can also be baked in the oven, as I did with these chickpea koftas. This spicy variation resembles the middle eastern chickpea falafel and goes well with a tomato based chutney, salad or vegetable side dish and a fragrant rice dish. You can also include an Indian bread to fill out the meal.

Chickpea Kofta

2 cups of cooked chickpeas (about 3/4 cups of dried beans)
1 medium baking potato, cooked, peeled and mashed
1 - 2 tablespoons of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 - 2 teaspoons of sea salt
3 tablespoons of olive or sesame oil
olive or sesame oil
1/4 cup of sesame seeds, or ground pumpkin or sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (goat's milk yogurt is superb)
1/2 cup of chopped parsley or coriander

If you are using dried beans, soak the beans in water overnight. Bring the beans and their soaking liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer and cook until the peas are soft (about 1 - 2 hours). Once they are cooked, drain the beans well, discarding the cooking liquid.

Using a blender or food processor, process the beans until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If using a blender, process the chickpeas in small batches as the blender will jam up if too many are added at once. Transfer two thirds of the ground chickpeas to a large bowl and add the mashed potato.

Include the rest of the ingredients to the blender or food processor along with the remaining third of the chickpeas. Blend until the mixture turns into a smooth paste. Add this paste to the chickpeas and potato in the mixing bowl. Mix well.

Rub your hands with some oil and shape the mixture into small patties. Add some chickpea or wheat flour, or some cornmeal if the mixture is too loose to form into balls.

The koftas can be fried or baked. If you are baking the koftas, transfer the shaped koftas to a well-greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove the koftas from the oven, brush the tops of each kofta with a bit of sesame oil, flip and return to the oven. Bake for another 10 - 15 minutes.

If you are frying the koftas, heat 2 inches of oil in a large frying pan or wok. When the oil is hot, fry a few koftas at a time, until they turn a reddish-brown colour on both sides - about 5 -7 minutes. Transfer the koftas with a slotted spoon to some paper towel to drain. As the koftas are best served warm, keep them in a 250 degree oven until ready to serve.

Adapted from "Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking" by Yamuna Devi.