The Recipe for Success With Koftas

DEAR SOS: Try as I might, I can’t seem to duplicate the texture of the vegetable koftas at Nawab of India in Santa Monica. Could you persuade the restaurant chef to part with the recipe?

--KATHLEEN

DEAR KATHLEEN: We didn’t have to try too hard. Lalit Pant, of Nawab of India, graciously and promptly complied.

NAWAB VEGETABLE KOFTAS

Oil

1 cup chopped cooked carrots

1 cup chopped cooked cauliflower

1 cup diced cooked potatoes

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Dash ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Salt

1/2 cup diced paneer (Indian white cheese)

8 tablespoons flour

Tomato-Coconut Sauce

Cilantro sprigs

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute cooked carrots, cauliflower and potatoes with coriander, cilantro, cumin and chili powder. Season to taste with salt. Mash through grinder or food processor. Mix in cheese.

Form into 2-inch balls, dredging in flour to shape into smooth balls. Heat 2 inches oil to 350 degrees in heavy skillet. Add some koftas and fry until well browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels and fry remaining koftas. Drain oil from skillet.

Add Tomato-Coconut Sauce and koftas to skillet. Simmer 5 minutes to heat through. If sauce seems thick add little water. Serve hot, garnished with sprigs of cilantro. Makes about 10 koftas.

Note: Paneer is available at Indian restaurants and some Indian delicatessens.

Tomato-Coconut Sauce

3 tablespoons oil

6 tablespoons chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup water, about

3 tablespoons shredded coconut

3 tablespoons half and half

Heat oil in saucepan over high heat. Add onion, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili powder. Saute until onion is tender. Add tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer until sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Stir in coconut and half and half. Bring to boil. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

DEAR SOS: When I was young, my favorite birthday cake was one my mother bought at the old candy ice cream parlor, Blum’s in Beverly Hills--something called Coffee Crunch Cake. It was a light white cake with whipped cream and a delicious coating of coffee-flavored honeycomb candy. I seem to recall that you published the recipe.

--ANNE

DEAR ANNE: Blum’s may be gone but the cake lives on in our files.

BLUM’S COFFEE CRUNCH CAKE

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup strong coffee

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 (8-ounce) angel-food cake

Combine sugar, coffee and corn syrup in saucepan at least 5 inches deep. Bring mixture to boil and cook until it reaches 310 degrees on candy thermometer or reaches hard-crack stage (when small amount dropped in cold water breaks with brittle snap).

Press baking soda through sieve to remove lumps. Remove syrup from heat. Immediately add baking soda and stir vigorously just until mixture thickens and pulls away from sides of pan. (Mixture foams rapidly when soda is added. Do not destroy foam by beating excessively.)

Immediately pour foamy mass into ungreased 9-inch square metal pan (do not spread or stir). Let stand without moving, until cool. When ready to garnish cake, knock topping mixture out of pan and crush between sheets of wax paper with rolling pin to form coarse crumbs. Frost cake with whipped cream. Cover frosted cake generously and thoroughly with crushed topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 1 (9-inch) cake.

DEAR SOS: I’ve lost my recipe for enchiladas suizas. It was a short, simple method.

--TERRY

DEAR TERRY: Is this it? The recipe makes a good party dish. For appetizers use the small-size tortillas.

MARTINE HECHT’S ENCHILADAS SUIZAS

4 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

3 (7-ounce) cans diced green chiles

2 1/2 pounds Jack cheese, shredded

15 tortillas (corn or flour)

1/2 cup oil

2 pints whipping cream

Combine cubed chicken or turkey with chiles and 3/4 of Jack cheese. Heat oil in skillet and add tortillas to soften. Heat whipping cream in large skillet. Dip each tortilla in hot cream. Place about 1/2 cup chicken mixture in center of each tortilla. Fold sides over mixture and place seam side down in greased large baking pan. Pour remaining cream over enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 450 degrees about 30 to 45 minutes or until golden and cheese is melted. Serve with sliced tomatoes, or guacamole, if desired. Makes 15 enchiladas.

Note: If using whole chicken, use 4 (1-pound) chickens, or 2 (3-pound) chickens. Cook in boiling salted water to cover 40 minutes. Drain, reserving stock for other use. Bone and skin chicken and cut into cubes to make 4 cups.