Broccoli brilliance

Broccoli Kofta Curry
Ingredients
For koftas
½ kg broccoli, steamed and mashed
2 potato, boiled and mashed
100 gm paneer, grated
50 gm cheese, grated
1 tsp ginger, chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped  
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
Oil for deep frying

For the gravy
4 tomatoes, pureed
½ tsp kasoori methi powder
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp kashmiri red
chili powder
½ cup fresh cream
½ tsp shahi jeera
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cashew paste
½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Coriander for garnishing

Broccoli Kofta Curry

Method
For kofta
Boil the broccoli, and mash it well. Add the mashed potatoes, paneer and cheese. Now, add salt, chilies and other ingredients for the kofta. Mix well and make small balls. Deep fry them and keep aside.

For the gravy
Heat oil in a kadai. Add shahi jeera and bay leaf, and allow it to splutter. Add the pureed tomato, cashew paste, dry masalas except kasoori methi, salt, and a little water to adjust the consistency.

Sauté till the oil separates. Now add the cream and the kofta. Mix well and remove from heat. Add kasoori methi and garnish with coriander.

Ajwaini Tandoori Broccoli
Ingredients
½ kg broccoli, washed
2 capsicum, diced
2 onions, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup hung curd
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp red chili paste
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp ajwain
2 tbsp chaat masala

Ajwaini Tandoori Broccoli

Method
Marinate the vegetables with hung curd, ginger garlic paste, ajwain, dry masalas and lemon juice, and keep for one to two hours.

Now grill the vegetables either in tandoor, microwave or on a non stick grilled pan. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the grilled vegetable. Serve hot.

Broccoli Fritters
Ingredients
½ kg broccoli, steamed
2 cups besan
1 tbsp rice flour
1 tsp ajwain
2 pinches of eating soda
Salt to taste
¼ tsp chaat masala
Oil for deep frying

Broccoli Fritters

Method
Cut the florets of broccoli and steam it. Sprinkle some salt and chaat masala on each floret and keep them aside. Take the besan in a bowl. Add rice flour, ajwain, salt and eating soda.

Add sufficient water to make a thick paste, as for pakodas. Heat oil in a pan. Dip the steamed broccoli florets in the besan batter and deep fry on high flame.

Once the pakodas are ready, press them a little with a bowl to give it a flat shape.
Fry them again till golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with any dip of your choice.

Broccoli Paneer Gravy
Ingredients
200 gm paneer
100 gm broccoli
½ cup curd
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 bay leaves
4 tsp ghee
3 tbsp oil
½ tsp sugar
Salt as per taste
½ tsp dhaniya-jeera power
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
Coriander for garnishing

Broccoli Paneer Gravy

Method
Boil the broccoli for two to three minutes with a pinch of salt. Strain the water and keep the broccoli aside. Heat oil in a pan and add paneer, salt and turmeric powder.

Stir fry for a few minutes, then remove from heat and keep aside. Now in the same pan, stir fry the boiled broccoli, with salt and turmeric powder. Remove it from heat and keep aside.

Make a paste of the chili powder, dhaniya-jeera powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl and mix it well with water. To this mixture, add one tsp oil, two tsp ghee and bay leaves.

Add the paste with chopped tomatoes to a pan and cook over a low heat, covering with a lid. Whisk the curd well and add to the pan. Once the paste starts drying up and oil separates, add half a cup of water.

When the mixture starts boiling, add the paneer and broccoli to it. Cook for a  few minutes until the broccoli is soft. Add ghee and cardamom powder and turn the heat off.

Cover with a lid for two minutes. Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with naan or paratha.