Malai Kofta

Name: Malai Kofta
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250g Paneer, grated; 3 medium Potatoes, boiled and mashed; 3 tbsp Cornflour, or fine besan; 1 Green Chili, finely chopped; 1 tsp Ginger, fresh, grated; 2 tbsp Raisins; 2 tbsp Cashews, or almonds, finely chopped; 1/2 tsp Garam Masala; 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin, optional but common; 3/4 tsp Salt; 500ml Oil, for deep-frying, as needed; 2 tbsp Ghee; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 1 tsp Cumin Seeds; 1 Bay Leaf; 3 pods of Green Cardamom; 4 Cloves; 1 small stick of Cinnamon Stick; 2 medium Onions, sliced; 4 medium Tomatoes, ripe, chopped; 50g Cashews, soaked 15 minutes in hot water; 1 1/2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste; 1 tsp Coriander Powder; 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, for color and mild heat; 1/2 tsp Garam Masala; 1 tsp Sugar, or to taste; 1 tsp Kasuri Methi, crushed; 150ml Heavy Cream; 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter

Malai Kofta pairs pillowy paneer and potato dumplings studded with nuts and raisins with a luxuriously creamy, spiced tomato-cashew gravy. The koftas are crisp outside and soft inside, while the rich, aromatic sauce—finished with cream and butter—makes this dish perfect for special dinners or weekend treats.

Malai Kofta pairs pillowy paneer and potato dumplings studded with nuts and raisins with a luxuriously creamy, spiced tomato-cashe... Show more

Traditional Indian Recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Rating

4.0

Time

1 hr10 min

Price

4,21 €

Calories

961 kcal

vegetarian

gluten free

low sugar

kid friendly

Method

Wash the produce

Rinse the potatoes, green chili, ginger, onions, tomatoes, and coriander well under cold running water. Pat everything dry so the vegetables are easy to prep and the herbs stay fresh for garnish.

Soak the cashews

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cashews for the kofta filling. Put the remaining 50 g in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let them soak for 15 minutes so they blend into a smooth, creamy gravy.

Boil the potatoes

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water by about 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain well, let them cool just enough to handle, peel, and mash until smooth with no large lumps; spread the mash on a plate for a minute so excess steam can escape.

Prep the aromatics

Finely chop the green chili. Peel and grate the ginger. Slice the onions thinly, chop the tomatoes, roughly chop the reserved 2 tablespoons of cashews, and finely chop the coriander for later.

Mix the kofta

If your paneer is in a block, finely grate the paneer. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the paneer, cornflour, the chopped green chili, grated ginger, garam masala, ground cumin, and salt. Mix gently but thoroughly until it forms a soft dough that holds together when pressed. In a second small bowl, stir together the chopped cashews and raisins for the filling.

Shape the koftas

Divide the potato-paneer mixture into 8 equal portions. Flatten one portion in your palm, add a little raisin-cashew filling in the center, then pinch and roll it into a smooth ball; repeat with the rest. Keep the balls compact and crack-free so they fry evenly and stay together.

Heat the frying oil

Pour the Oil into a deep, heavy pot or kadai, filling it no more than halfway, and heat over medium. Aim for 350° F; if you do not have a thermometer, a tiny pinch of kofta mixture should rise steadily to the surface without browning too fast.

Fry the koftas

Slide in 2 or 3 koftas at a time and fry, turning gently, until evenly golden brown and lightly crisp on the outside, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate or rack while you fry the rest. Do not crowd the pot or stir aggressively during the first minute, or the koftas can break.

Cook the gravy base

In a wide pan, heat ghee with neutral oil over medium. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, lightly crushed green cardamom, cloves, and the cinnamon stick; let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until deep golden. Stir in ginger garlic paste and cook for about 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, the soaked cashews with their soaking water discarded, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri Red Chili Powder. Cook until the tomatoes collapse and the mixture looks thick, glossy, and jammy.

Blend until smooth

Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes so it blends more safely. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick, then transfer the rest to a blender and puree until completely smooth and creamy.

Finish the gravy

Return the puree to the pan over low-medium heat. Stir in the remaining garam masala, Sugar, Kasuri Methi crushed between your palms, Heavy Cream, Unsalted Butter, and a little more water as needed for a rich but pourable sauce; season with more salt if needed. Simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the gravy is smooth, lightly thickened, and glossy.

Assemble and serve

Spoon the hot gravy into a serving bowl and place the koftas on top just before serving if you want them to stay crisp. If you prefer softer koftas, let them sit in the sauce for 1-2 minutes before serving. Scatter over the chopped coriander and bring it straight to the table.