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Soon after I started making this recipe, I realized that there’s probably a reason people don’t use red cabbage for kofta: it turns blue and ends up looking a bit like dryer lint. As such, this veg kofta recipe had more of a Green Eggs and Ham vibe to it than I would have liked – aesthetically speaking – but the flavors and textures were so good that I simply had to share it with you.
What’s a Kofta anyways?
Koftas (kofti? Kofta?.. I don’t know what the plural is) are a pretty traditional dish in both Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Cabbage kofta in particular are simply compact cabbage balls, usually served with a curry or gravy, as well as rice.
If you truly want an authentic kofta recipe, I would suggest looking at other blogs who know Indian cooking better than I do, like Holy Cow Vegan or Vegan Richa, as they both have at least one or more delicious cabbage kofta recipes. But if you don’t mind an inauthentic take on a traditional dish, then these red cabbage balls with tomato gravy are for you.
Additionally, this veg kofta recipe has you frying the kofta in a pan, rather than cooking them in a gravy or broth or soup. As such, I suggest that you flatten the cabbage balls slightly so that you don’t have to use much oil in order to cook them evenly and completely all the way through. Then, my second recommendation would be to serve them with fresh basmati rice rice and some fragrant garnish, like fresh parsley or cilantro, for a brightness and contrast of color.
Red Cabbage – from beautiful to blue-tiful
It all started so well, this veg kofta recipe.
Grated up, the cabbage looked like a mountain of tiny amethysts on the cutting board – beautifully, radiantly purple.
However, when combined with the spices and chickpea flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl, that’s when the lively purple color started to bleed a little bit and lose some of its vibrancy.
And by the time I had rolled them into the ball, they looked like something you’d find in James P. Sullivan’s shower drain (A.K.A Sully – the big blue and purple guy from Monster’s, Inc...sorry for that image).
But, like most recipes, the proof is in the pudding – as in, putting it in your mouth to determine whether it tastes good or not. And I can say for certain that these, despite the appearance, tasted amazing, so fear not their appearance! Simply close your eyes before you take a bite, and you’re in cabbage kofta bliss.
Tomato Gravy and Garam Masala
Without question, the most quintessential and important part of this veg kofta recipe is the tomato gravy.
The red cabbage koftas really need a flavorful sauce to complete them, and pairing this tomato gravy with the red cabbage kofta is an incredibly delicious and perfectly complementary combination.
The tomato gravy is spiced with garam masala, a splash of red wine vinegar, and some brown sugar – the sugar added to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar.
Garam masala is a spice mixture that can vary widely, depending on who’s making it. Everyone has a different ratio and combination of spices, which means that there are many different version of garam masala. The one that I used was pretty straight forward canister of spice that I bought form the store, and it contains some ratio of the following spices:
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Black pepper
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Saffron
- Chilies
- Paprika
- Garlic
- Turmeric
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into this spice mix, and some spices mixes have more ingredients and are more eccentric than others. While it’s an option for you to make your own from scratch, like this garam masala recipe, it’s much easier to make this veg kofta recipe if you simply buy a pre-made spice mix from the store.
Veg Kofta Recipe
Despite the gaudy appearance, this is definitely a veg kofta recipe worth making. They’re unique, colorful, packed with flavor and ever so slightly whimsical.
If you’re a cabbage fan and don’t mind an eccentric-looking dish, you’ll definitely love this veg kofta recipe!
I hope that you enjoyed this veg kofta recipe. If you did, please leave a recipe rating, as well as a comment down below.
Also, if you’re a fan of the good ol’ cabbage, check out this Curry Cabbage Salad with Apricots and Pistachios!
Red Cabbage Kofta with Tomato Gravy
5 from 3 votes
That Vegan Nephew
This veg kofta recipe uses red cabbage, an abundance of spices, and a delicious tomato gravy – an utterly spectacular and colorful (to understate it) cabbage dish that you simply have to taste! Serve these crispy, unctuous and meaty cabbage balls with some freshly cooked basamati rice, which will help soak up the tomato gravy even better. If you're into cruciforms and eccentric takes on classic cuisine, then you gotta make these!
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Resting Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Servings 18 Kofta
Calories 61 kcal
Equipment
Grater
Large mixing bowl
Small Sauce Pan
Ingredients
For the red cabbage kofta
- 4 cups red cabbage, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup chickpea flour, plus more if needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or regular paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Couple tablespoons olive oil, for frying
For the tomato gravy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons chickpea flour
- 1 (15-ounce) can of tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ – 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Dash of salt
Instructions
Grate about 4 cups worth of red cabbage. Add that to a mixing bowl along with the ginger, garlic, chickpea flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes before frying in a skillet.
Meanwhile, make the tomato gravy. In a small sauce pan over medium heat with olive oil, cook the chickpea flour for about 1 to 2 minutes, whisking well until it smells toasty and has slightly darkened in color. Then add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, garam masala, red wine vinegar and salt. Stir well until incorporated, then turn down the heat and set aside until you're ready to serve the fried kofta.
Now, for the kofta into walnut-sized balls, and flatten them slightly. Then, in a skillet over medium heat with a couple tablespoons olive oil, pan fry the kofta for about 3 minutes or so on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Lay them on a paper towel, and then store in a warm oven until you're ready to serve.
Note: you can always add a little bit more chickpea flour to the kofta batter if the kofta aren't holding together well.
Assemble the dish by laying down tomato gravy, topped with the kofta. You also have to option to add fresh basmati rice too, but it’s not necessary.
Nutrition
Serving 1 Kofta Ball Calories 61 kcal Carbohydrates 5.2 g Protein 1.4 g Fat 4.5 g Saturated Fat 0.6 g Sodium 197 mg Potassium 150 mg Fiber 1.2 g Sugar 2.2 g Calcium 14 mg Iron 1 mg
Keyword cabbage kofta, cabbage kofta recipe, red cabbage, veg kofta recipe, vegan kofta recipe
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May you have good food in good company,
That Vegan Nephew
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