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Malai Kofta

Malai Kofta Recipe

Malai Kofta is a classic rich and creamy North Indian dish originated from the Mughlai cuisine. Malai refers to the cream and koftas are deep fried paneer and vegetable dumplings.It is a rich dish perfect for parties and special occasions. It goes well with chapati, naan, jeera rice, ghee rice, all pulaos and parathas.

Course Main Course
Cuisine North Indian
Keyword Malai Kofta
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 persons

Ingredients

Ingredients needed

Ingredients needed to prepare Koftas

  • 2 Potato boiled and mashed
  • 1/2 cup Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans,peas)
  • 1/2 cup Paneer/ cottage cheese grated
  • 1 Green chillies finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • 3/4 tsp Red chilli powder (or as needed)
  • 1 tbsp Cashew nuts (finely chopped or coarsely ground)
  • 2 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
  • 3/4 tsp Cornflour
  • Salt as needed
  • Cornflour for rolling the koftas
  • Oil for frying koftas

Ingredients needed for the sauce

  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1 Onion big
  • 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • 3 Tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder/jeera powder
  • 2 tsp Coriander powder
  • 3/4 tsp Red chilli powder or as needed
  • Salt as needed
  • 1/4 cup Dairy Cream
  • 1 tbsp Cashew nut
  • 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

For the seasoning

  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tsp Shah jeera/Caraway Seeds

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Boil vegetables or pressure cook vegetables for 2 whistles. I kept beans, carrot and peas in a vessel without water, closed it with a lid and kept potatoes on top and pressure cooked for 2 whistles. In this method there is less moisture in the vegetables. (Don’t forget to add water in the pressure cooker).Whichever method you follow, put the vegetables in a muslin cloth and squeeze out all excess water. You can use that water for the gravy later. Drain the water from the potatoes immediately after cooking.

  2. Grate paneer and keep it ready.

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix together grated paneer, mashed potatoes, vegetables, finely chopped green chillies, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, finely chopped coriander leaves, chopped nuts, 3/4 tsp cornflour and salt needed. Mix well.

  2. Divide the mixture equally and make balls.

  3. Roll the balls in cornflour. This is done to absorb any moisture left.

  4. Heat oil and fry the koftas in batches on medium heat until golden brown.

  5. Remove from oil and drain them on a paper towel. Now the koftas are ready. Keep it aside.

Now we will prepare the sauce-

  1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil, fry chopped onions until golden brown. Add salt to speed up the process. Saute continuously for even browning.

  2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes.

  3. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and cook until tomatoes become mushy. Do not add water. If it is too dry, add just 1 or 2 tbsp of water. Allow it to cool. Add salt required. (remember we already added salt to the onions)

  4. Once it cools, blend it to a fine paste.

How to prepare malai kofta gravy

  1. Now heat oil + butter in a kadai, add shah jeera, when it splutters, add the ground paste and cook for a few minutes.

  2. Add 1 cup of water, cream, cashew nut powder and bring it to boil on low flame.

  3. Add the koftas gently and switch off the flame.(add koftas only at the time of serving)

  4. Sprinkle garam masala and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Recipe Notes

Serve hot with jeera pulao or chapati or naan.

Note - In the video, koftas are prepared in paniyaram pan/ appe pan. You can follow that also.