Tarragon Laced Khoya Kofta and Vegetable Medley

The third recipe in the KO Rasoi Summer BBQ Season 2010 is a blinder. Full of fresh flavours and totally unique.

I love kofta. Some of you may already know this, having seen my recipes for Melt in the Mouth Paneer Kofta and Springtime Kofta. Some of you are yet to bear witness to my kofta obsession. This recipe combines khoya (milk solids), spinach and tarragon to create little bites of heaven to top this summery vegetable medley. Harmonious indeed.

While technically this is not an entirely barbecued dish, some elements have been slightly charred on the barbecue to bring out their delicate sweetness. I barbecued some parboiled asparagus and courgette strips and added them to sweet Summer peas, then coated them in a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, zest and aromatic garlic. Everything was topped off with deep fried crispy tarragon leaves. Perfect.

Tarragon has a heady anise-like flavour which pairs wonderfully with the rich, creamy khoya and fresh vegetables. Although, it is also important to remember not to add too much as it may overpower the dish. Deep frying the tarragon makes its flavour much more subtle and adds a delicate crispiness to the vegetable medley and finishes off the dish flawlessly.

This dish is an entirely new creation for the BBQ series and I really hope you like it. Bon appétit!

Tarragon Laced Khoya Kofta and Vegetable Medley
(Serves 4)

For the Kofta

1 ¼ cups khoya/mawa (milk solids), grated
1 cup plain flour
1 tbsp green banana powder (I used this for binding but you could also use potato powder)
2 hot green chillies, minced (or to taste)
¼ cup spinach, wilted, squeezed of water and chopped
¼ tsp baking powder
2 tsp tarragon, chopped
1 tsp white pepper
3 tbsp hot water (to bind into a non-sticky dough-like mixture)

Sunflower oil to deep fry

For the Vegetable Medley

3 courgettes, cut into strips with a vegetable peeler then griddled or barbecued
2 cups fresh peas, inner membranes removed and blanched
12 asparagus spears, blanched then griddled or barbecued

For the Lemon Dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1
1 clove garlic, minced
A pinch of salt and sugar

½ cup deep fried tarragon to garnish

Method

1. Bind all of the ingredients for the kofta and roll them into 1 inch balls.

2. Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the koftas a few at a time on a low heat until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

3. Make your dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the griddled or barbecued courgettes, asparagus and blanched peas. Combine thoroughly.

4. Just before serving add the reheated koftas (I reheated mine on the barbecue to get those cute little grill marks- you could use an oven or grill if you wish) and combine until they are coated in the dressing. Arrange the vegetable medley on individual plates or a platter and top with the crispy tarragon leaves.

One final note… Happy 100th post KO Rasoi. I can’t wait to see you grow and grow in the coming years!