Mushroom Kofta

PREP. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Soak cashews in boiling water for at least 15 minutes. Roughly chop mushrooms. Dice onion. Mince garlic and ginger. Dice tomatoes. Grind cumin, coriander, and fennel into a powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

COOK MUSHROOMS. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook until mushrooms have browned and released a significant part of their water. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

MAKE KOFTA. Add cooked mushrooms, cornstarch, coconut, 1 tsp cumin, and ¾ tsp chili powder to a food processor. Pulse until mixture is combined but not a paste. Having small chunks of mushroom is okay as this will add texture to the kofta after baking. Use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure to scoop out 1 ½ tbsp balls from the mixture. Carefully roll into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should get 16 balls. Bake in preheated oven until kofta is browned and crisp on the outside, about 30 minutes.

MAKE GRAVY. Heat large pan over medium heat. Add a touch of oil to prevent sticking. Add onion. Cover and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato and tomato paste. Cover and cook on low heat until tomatoes release their juices and the mixture becomes jammy, about 15 minutes. Add remaining 1 tsp cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric, black pepper, remaining ¾ tsp chili powder, and a pinch of salt to the tomatoes. Mix to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add to a blender with the cashews and ½ cup water. Blend until smooth. Return mixture to pan. Add garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves. Simmer on low heat until kofta is ready. Add water as needed to prevent mixture from sticking to the pan or becoming too thick. The final texture should be thicker than soup but thinner than hummus.

SERVE. Add kofta to gravy. Lightly stir to coat each ball in gravy. Garnish with cilantro.