Ingredients

• 1 large tomato
• roughly chopped
• ½ red onion
• roughly chopped
• 8 garlic cloves
• peeled and left whole
• splash soy sauce
• 1 tsp chipotle chilli paste
• splash red wine vinegar
• 100g/3½oz pitted dates
• 100g/3½oz cooked
• peeled chestnuts
• 500g/1lb 2oz mashed potato
• 2 medium free-range eggs
• 250g/9oz potato flour
• 150g/5½oz dried breadcrumbs
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• For the spicy chipotle dip
• mix all the ingredients together in a roasting tin. Bake for 20 minutes
• or until softened. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile
• for the kofta
• put the dates and chestnuts in a food processor and blend to a chunky paste. Set aside.
• In a large bowl
• mix the mashed potato with the eggs and potato flour to form a soft dough. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the potato dough into 12-16 equal portions and roll into balls. Flatten the ball into a disc in your palm and press a large pinch of the chestnut date mixture into the centre
• closing the potato dough over the top. Use your hands to roll into a little
• filled kofta
• then roll the kofte in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• Heat a deep-fat fryer to 180C
• or until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully
• using a slotted spoon
• lower the kofta into the fryer in small batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until golden-brown. Lift the kofta out with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper
• then transfer to a serving plate.
• Put the roasted dip mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth but with some texture. Spoon into a bowl and serve with the kofta.