Dry roast all the whole spices above for a few minutes on a low flame, until fragrant. Let it cool completely, then grind into a fine powder in a spice grinder or high-speed blender. Store in an airtight container.

Crumble the tofu with your hands until smooth and there are no large lumps.

Add all the above ingredients to a large bowl and mix well with your hands until the mixture comes together (it will be a slightly sticky dough) and binds well.

Make round lime-sized balls/ dumplings with your hands; this recipe will make about 24-30 dumplings. (PS: These will keep well in the fridge overnight!)

Next, in a deep kadhai, heat the oil on a medium flame. To know when the oil is hot enough, drop a small bit of the dough into the oil; it will bubble and ‘dance’! Working in batches, fry the dumplings carefully until golden-brown on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the diced onion and sauté for a few minutes until soft and slightly browning. Add the ginger+garlic and sauté 1-2 min until fragrant. Add the tomatoes + tomato paste and heat until soft. Now add all the spices and fry for a minute or two. Remove from heat. Let it cool slightly, add the 1 cup water, transfer to a high-speed blender, and blend into a smooth sauce.

Return the sauce back the heat. Now add the coconut cream and adjust spices to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes and remove from heat.

To serve, add the kofta dumplings to the sauce. Drizzle with more coconut cream. Crush the kasuri methi with your fingers and sprinkle on top. SERVE HOT, with naan, parathas or rice.