Elephant Yam Kofta Curry

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Ingredients:
For Koftas
Elephant Yam – 1/4 kg
Roasted gram – 1 1/2 tblsp
Cinnamon – small piece
Cloves – 2
Red chillies – 8
Garlic – 3 flakes
Salt – as required
Dry bread crumbs – 3 tblsp
Bengal gram flour – 1 1/2 tblsp
Finely cut onions – 2 tblsp
Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tblsp
Chopped mint leaves – 1 tblsp
Oil – for deep frying

For gravy:
Chopped onions – 1 cup
Tomato paste – 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Dhania powder – 1 tblsp
Jeera powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Salt – as required
Oil for frying

Grind together
Onion – 1
Green chillies – 2
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 5 flakes
Poppy seeds – 1 tblsp (soaked in very hot water)

Method:
For Koftas:
1. Remove outer skin and slice yam into thin broad pieces.
2. Heat water in a broad vessel. When it starts boiling, add yam pieces and remove from fire. Keep closed for 10 minutes.
3. Strain water completely and spread the pieces over a cloth to dry up the moisture. Allow to cool.
4. Grind red chillies, roasted gram dal, masala spices together to a powder consistency in mixie.
5. Finally add garlic, salt and yam pieces. Grind to coarse paste.
6. Keep 1 1/2 tblsp of this paste for mixing in gravy.
7. To rest of the yam paste, mix chopped onions, coriander, mint, bread crumbs and bengal gram flour.
8. Prepare small balls and deep fry till dark brown in hot oil. Keep aside.

For gravy:
1. Heat oil in a broad kadai and fry onions till crisp and brown.
2. Add ground paste and stir till oil separates.
3. Add salt, sugar all the powders and then tomato paste.
4. Boil for few minutes. Add yam paste and enough water and cook till gravy thickens.
5.Arrange fried koftas in serving dish, pour hot gravy on top.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.