Shahi Zaffrani Kofta
Ingredients for Kofta:
- Paneer: 150 gms
- Potatoes: 1 medium Sized
- Saffron: 3-4 strands
- Milk: 1 tbsn
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: for Frying
Ingredients for Curry:
- Tomatoes: 5-6 medium Sized
- Red Capsicum: 20 gms
- Cashew Nuts: 16 gms
- Whole Red Chili: 3-4 no.
- Ginger: 15 gms
- Garlic: 15 gms
- Green Chili: 3-4 no.
- Salt: to taste
- Ginger Garlic Paste: 15 gms
- Green Cardamom: 1 no.
- Saffron: 2-3 strands
- Milk: 30 ml
- Ghee: 30 gms
- White Butter: 20 gms
- Kasturi Methi: for sprinkling
Method:
For Kofta
- Soak Saffron strands in warm milk.
- Grate Paneer & Mash boiled potatoes.
- Add the Mixture into a bowl and add salt and saffron milk. Gently rub the mixture into a greased area or thali using your palm. Ensure it should be soft & fully mashed (like while preparing rasgullas’).
- Once it is fully mashed, make small round balls, ensure there are no cracks. If the mixture is not getting binding properly, you may add maida.
- Once the balls are ready, golden fry them and keep it aside.
For Kofta Curry
- Cut tomatoes & Capsicum into dices.
- In a vessel, add tomatoes, capsicum, green chilli, ginger, garlic, whole red chilli, green cardamom, bay leaf, and pinch of salt. Add 2 cups of water and keep the vessel for simmering for about 30- 45 minutes.
- Once the gravy is done, allow it to cool. Strain the remaining water in another bowl.
- Once cooled, grind the gravy mixture into a fine paste and strain it thoroughly. Also, soak saffron strands in warm milk and keep it aside.
- Take a pan and add ghee. Once heated, add ginger garlic paste and sauté it for a minute. Add the gravy mixture to it and allow it to cook.
- Cook it for another 15- 20 minutes and then add white butter and saffron milk to it. Adjust the salt as per requirement.
- Once the gravy is done, add kofta and cook it for 5 minutes on a medium flame.
- Sprinkle some kasuri methi and serve hot.
Chef Raashika Kulshreshtha
About Chef Raashika Kulshreshtha: Chef Raashika Kulshreshtha, a 24 year old dynamic chef, works with a restaurant chain in Delhi NCR. Due to lockdown and uncertainty of opening of restaurants and to keep herself occupied, she has started her own food delivery kitchen. Her new venture is known as Shubh Rasoi which is running successfully in Noida. The quality of food and taste she has become popular in the vicinity and her dishes have gained good momentum.
Chef Raashika did her basic schooling from various cities like Delhi, Jabalpur and Aurangabad, as her father was working in a transferable job. Her parents wanted her to join civil services but she was not keen in doing so. She joined IHM Aurangabad and graduated from there. She is the first person in her family to opt for the culinary field. After initial resistance, her parents were happy about her profession. Later, her parents and sister motivated and supported her wholeheartedly to choose her dream to become a chef, so there was no looking back.
After completion of her degree, she worked for Vivanta By Taj Aurangabad, Lemon tree and J W Marriott Sahar. Gradually she switched over to restaurants, as she wanted to open her own venture. Her expertise area is Indian cuisine. She has been doing extensive research on Indian Cuisine for the past few years. She is trying to bring an impact on the picture of Indian Food today in front of the whole world. Many people asked her to change her expertise in other delicacies as Indian Cookery is comparatively tough, yet she was always rigid on her decision which made her even stronger today.
At such a young age she is handling an outlet as supervisory chef. Her dream goal is to create a place where no one is dying of hunger. She believes that “God has created us; Nature has provided us with the resources. We should share amongst each other and spread the word of share and care”.
Chef Raashika started cooking at the tender age of 4, copying her mother’s dish, Aloo Parantha, which was her first cooked dish. She recalls as she used to get tired studying or needed some break. While she was in school, she used to cook, innovate and explore the art of cooking. One of her dish, namely Pasta Kheer, was selected as the most innovative dish of the year 2014, in an online competition held by Chef Vikas Khanna. Chef Vikas Khanna was one of the reasons she decided to become a Chef. It was a struggle for her in choosing this as her career.
Chef Raashika’s signature dishes include Shahi Dum Biryani, Dal Makhani, Pasta Kheer, Gulab Jamun, Shahi Zaffrani Kofta and Shahi Paneer to name a few. These are top dishes which are hot selling items in her own venture. The secret of these dishes is her spice mix which plays a very crucial role in cooking. She always tries to blend her own spices and it gives her an edge by being different from what others are serving.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
