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Dal kofta is made with balls made from a paste of chana dal mixed with ginger, garlic, and other spices. These balls are then cooked in a thick and spicy gravy. Go through my easy recipe to learn the steps to make dal kofta at home.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Dal kofta is a popular Indian dish.
Serve it with roti, paratha or rice.
Dal kofta tastes nutty, spicy, and earthy.
Other similar recipes are malai kofta, lauki kofta, and paneer kofta.

The Ingredients:

To make the dal paste and koftas:

250 grams chana dal (soaked in water for 5 hours)

¼ tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic (deskinned)
1 piece ginger (½ inch size)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
4 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Cooking oil as required for frying koftas

To make the gravy:

3 tbsp cooking oil
1 piece cinnamon stick (1-inch size)
2 pieces green cardamom
2 pieces cloves
1 piece bay leaf
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 pieces onions (medium size, finely chopped)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
Tomato puree (2 pieces, medium-size)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
¼ tsp black pepper powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
500 ml water
Salt to taste
½ tsp garam masala powder
2 pieces green chilies (slit in the middle)
Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)

This recipe came from the post office clerk who handles parcels in our area. I was waiting in line, and she offered me a homemade snack, saying she skipped lunch. I loved it and asked how she made it. She smiled and wrote the recipe on a money deposit slip.

I tried it the next day. My husband found it quite unique, and the boys were excited by its taste. Now, it is our letter-day dish. That encounter reminded me how kindness can be served in unexpected envelopes—no stamp required, just a warm heart and tasty hands.

How to Make Dal Kofta? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Take 250 grams of chana dal (soaked in water for 5 hours), ¼ tsp of cumin seeds, 4 cloves of garlic (deskinned), and 1 piece of ginger (½ inch size) in a mixer and grind them to a fine paste.

Step 2: Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, 4 pieces of green chilies (finely chopped), 1 tbsp of coriander leaves (finely chopped), salt to taste and mix well.

Step 3: Now, shape the kofta balls.

Step 4: Heat cooking oil as required to fry the koftas in a kadai on a medium flame. Put the kofta balls and fry for 2 minutes on one side, flip them and fry for another two minutes to fry them from all sides.

Step 5: Fry all the kofta balls in the same way and keep them on a plate aside.

Step 6: Now, in the kadai, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil and add 1 piece of cinnamon stick (1-inch size), 2 pieces of green cardamom, 2 pieces of cloves, 1 piece of bay leaf, and ½ tsp of cumin seeds to it. Fry them for 10 seconds. Then, add 2 pieces of onions (medium size, finely chopped) to it and fry nicely to a golden brown color.

Step 7: Add 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste and fry for half a minute. Then, add the tomato puree (2 pieces, medium-size) along with 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, ¼ tsp of black pepper powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder and mix well. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes on a low flame, stirring in between.