Dec 4, 20222 min read

Vegan Kofta Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Serves: 4 hungry humans

Gluten free and dairy free black bean balls in a luscious tomato sauce.

There's just something about a little crispy ball of goodness. I love these little guys, they are the perfect bite packed with protein and plant points.

Let’s cook ☺

Ingredients for the kofta balls:

1.5 cups black beans (about 1 tin)
1/2 an onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp oat flour
1 tbsp chia seeds, ground
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs
Good quality olive oil for cooking
Generous pinch of pink Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients for the creamy tomato sauce:

2 tins of good quality chopped tomatoes
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or 3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup full fat coconut milk
Pinch of coconut blossom sugar
Generous pinch of pink Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste

Serving suggestion:

Drizzle of coconut milk

Sprinkling of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

Fresh sourdough bread slices

Method

1. To make the kofta balls - In a frying pan, heat some olive oil and once hot add the onions. On low continue to cook the onions slowly. After about 10 minutes add the garlic. Cook for a few minutes and remove from the heat. This can also be done with liquid veg stock or broth instead of oil too. Allow the onions to cook slightly.

2. Then add all the ingredients to a bowl including the onion and garlic mix. Mash using a potato masher or fork. Roll into balls with about a tablespoon of mixture at a time.

3. Brush each of the balls with olive oil and air fry on 200C for 15 min or until crispy. Makes 18 balls.

4. To make the creamy tomato sauce - this is a mindful and slow sauce that is so worth the extra time. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a frying pan and add the onions, cook on low heat slowly for 10-15 minutes until the onions are translucent. I add a bit of veggie broth or water if they start to stick.

5. Add the fresh tomatoes and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes until they become jammy. Once they’re at this stage, add the tin tomatoes and simmer for 20-30 minutes on a low heat. It’s so worth the wait, the longer you cook it the more delicious it gets.

6. Finish off with the coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat.

7. Place the crispy kofta balls into the sauce and garnish with fresh herbs and a drizzle of coconut milk. Serve hot with warm toasted bread. Enjoy!