Spinach kofta

Ready in 30 minutes, this saucy curry is the perfect weeknight meal.

This kofta recipe is a true crowdpleaser in Chetna Makan’s household. “It’s really flavourful, but quite light,” she explains - making it one of her children’s favourites from her new cookbook. For Makan, the best way to serve it is with a bit of everything: “It’s lovely with rice and naan.”

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

2tbsp sunflower oil 250ml water

100ml natural yogurt 3/4tsp salt

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp sugar

Red chilli flakes, to garnish

For the paste:

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 green chilli, roughly chopped 40g white poppy seeds

40g blanched almonds

2.5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 100ml water

For the koftas:

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces

100g spinach leaves, finely chopped 1/2tsp salt

60g cornflour

Sunflower oil, for shallow-frying

Method:

1. Blitz all the paste ingredients in a blender (preferably) or a food processor until smooth. Heat the oil in a pan and add the paste with 50ml of the measured water. Cover and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

2. Meanwhile, make the koftas. Put the potato pieces in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil, then cook for five minutes until cooked through.

Drain the potato, put it into a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add the spinach, salt and cornflour and mix well. Divide the mixture into 10-12 portions and form each into a ball about the size of a lime, then flatten them slightly.

3. Heat enough oil for shallowfrying in a frying pan. Line a plate with kitchen paper. Add the koftas to the hot oil and cook over a medium to high heat for one to two minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer to the paper-lined plate to absorb the excess oil.

4. Whisk the yogurt with the remaining 200ml water in a small bowl. Gradually add to the paste and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for a minute. Then stir in the salt, chilli powder and sugar and cook for two minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, place the koftas on top and serve, garnished with red chilli flakes.