Japanese Yam, Green Papaya, Cauliflower Spicy Coconut Flour Kofta Balls

Unlike the supersweet sweet potatoes with orangish insides sold as "yams" in some grocery stores, the Japanese yam is mildly sweet with whitish insides, and has a flaky texture that somehow embodies both delicate and wholesome.

Kofta balls floating in spicy korma curries are quite a treat, especially with rice or naan. But, this time, I served these balls as an appetizer/snack with tomato chutney and cilantro-mint chutney.

Also, typically koftas are fried, but, these delicious goodies are baked.

One of my favorites to incorporate these days is the coconut flour, so, sure enough these kofta balls have coconut flour as well.

Ingredients
1½ cups combined, of grated Japanese yam, green papaya, cauliflower
2 chipote in adobo sauce chopped finely
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
salt to taste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
vegetable oil for spraying

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 430 ° F
2. Combine the grated Japanese yams, green papaya, and cauliflower, and all the other ingredients and knead to a moist dough that can be shaped into balls. (Since grated veggies have enough water, I don't usually add water unless the dough gets too stiff)
3. Spray a roasting pan with oil, arrange the balls, spray oil on top as well and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes till outsides are crispy and insides are moist and well done, not too raw and doughy
4. Serve with dips and chutneys. Or, throw it in simmering pot of curry and serve immediately.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Flour Flax Meal Roti Flatbreads

Considering the amazing properties of sweet potato, it is hard not to incorporate it more in our diets.

While roast sweet potatoes in dessert-ish form is relished by kids, I wanted to leverage its natural sweetness to make everyday foods a bit more colorful and appealing.

Coconut flour is another ingredient that adds a bit of sweetness and flavor to everyday items.

Since fusion cuisine is my forte, my signature of sorts, this dish came about quite naturally one day.

Sweet potatoes, coconut flour, chickpea flour, and all purpose flour come together with chipotle in adobo sauce, and fenugreek leaves to make this incredibly orange and incredibly tasty rotis -- flatbreads cooked on the griddle pan. I'd have preferred to use whole wheat instead of all purpose flour, but I was all out, so, maybe next time...

Ingredients
1 average sweet potato, cooked and peeled

⅓ cup coconut flour

⅓ cup chickpea flour (aka besan)

1⅓ cup all purpose flour (more or less)
2 Tablespoon flax meal

salt to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
2 chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped finely

a few tablespoons of oil for griddle-cooking the rotis

Preparation

1. Since sweet potato is cooked to mush, not much water is needed at first. Simply combine all the ingredients and knead to a smooth elastic dough, adding the all purpose flour a little at a time as needed. 
2. Divide the dough into golf-ball-sized balls; roll each ball flat to about 2 millimeters thick rotis
3. Heat a griddle much like for pancake, and cook the rotis till done 
4. Serve with any of the curries or chutneys. here I serve it with my favorite carrot salad.

Carrot Salad: Grate carrots, finely slice celery, finely chop green chilies, finely chop cilantro, combine it all with a splash of lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt, serve fresh.

Kadhi (Karhi) with Naan

This is a Gujarathi dish that I have sort of adapted to my taste. I added pakoras to the kadhi, but, any other vegetable like bell peppers or even chick peas would be good, or just leave it plain and unadorned.

The pakoras can be made ahead and then simmered with the karhi, with a few crunchy ones added as garnish right before serving.

Kadhi/Karhi is a versatile dish: it can be served as a side with any of the Indian flat breads, especially good with home-made naan; or even with rice; or even used as a dipping sauce for chips and fresh veggies.

Ingredients
3/4 cup chick pea flour (besan)
1 cup yogurt
3 cups water (more if you want the kadhi thinner,less if you want it thicker)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
10-12 pieces of pakoras
1/2 cup finely chopped medium yellow onion
1 Tbsp finely chopped green chilies (optional)
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp canola oil (or ghee)
salt to taste
5 curry leaves (murraya koenigii) for garnish

Preparation

1. In a large enough bowl, mix the chick pea flour, yogurt, water, turmeric without any lumps and set aside
2. heat oil in a pan, sautée the (chilies and) onions till onions turn translucent
3. add the mixture from step 1 to the pan, and some salt to taste
4. boil the mixture on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, till it thickens and the raw flavor of the chick pea flour is gone
5. the consistency is sort of close to a white sauce, but, you can have it thicker or thinner as you like
6. now add the pakoras (or steamed veggies or cooked chick peas) and cook till pakoras/veggies soften a little
7. add the curry leaves and cook for a minute or so
8. remove from heat, add lemon juice and stir
9. serve hot with home-made naan