Malai Kofta

User Reviews

5.0

6 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    30 mins

  • Cook Time

    30 mins

  • Total Time

    1 hr 10 mins

  • Servings

    4 people

  • Calories

    658 kcal

  • Course

    Main Course

  • Cuisine

    Indian

Malai Kofta

Malai kofta is a popular Indian recipe where potato and paneer dumplings are dipped in a creamy malai sauce.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the tomato purée with onion

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion , finely diced
  • 3 large tomatoes , peeled, seeded and diced
  • 15 cashew nuts
  • 3 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 3 cloves (optional)

For the curry sauce

  • 2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 Indian bay leaf (tej patta)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 2 green cardamom pods
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 tablespoons heavy cream (malai)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the kofta

  • 5 oz. paneer (Indian cheese), crumbled
  • 2 boiled potatoes
  • tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
  • ¾ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cashews (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon raisins (optional)
  • salt
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)

To serve

  • A few leaves of cilantro
  • 4 teaspoons heavy cream (malai)

Equipment

  • Fine mesh colander
  • Dutch oven
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Instructions

Tomato purée with onion

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon.
  2. Then add the diced onions and sauté over medium heat until they turn transparent or golden.
  3. Then add the tomatoes and chopped cashews. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Barely cover with boiling water and boil all the ingredients over medium to high heat, stirring very regularly, until they are tender and mushy and like a smooth mash. Turn off the pan and let cool completely.
  4. Once this mixture has cooled, sieve it through a fine mesh colander and set aside

Curry sauce

  1. Heat the oil and ghee in a Dutch oven.
  2. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom pods and sauté while stirring them, for 1 minute.
  3. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
  4. Quickly stir in the chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, salt and sugar.
  5. Pour the reserved tomato and onion purée on top. Mix well.
  6. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
  7. Pour about ½ cup of water over it to make a sauce.
  8. Increase the heat to high and, as soon as it comes to a boil, lower the heat and cook, covered, over low heat until the sauce thickens and traces of fat are visible at the top.
  9. Add the kasuri methi and adjust the seasoning. If necessary, add more salt and/or chili powder. Mix well.
  10. Add the cream and stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

Kofta

  1. Boil the potatoes until they are just cooked through and not soft.
  2. Drain and place them in a bowl with the crumbled paneer, ginger paste, corn flour, salt, garam masala and chopped cilantro leaves.
  3. Crumble them and add them to a bowl with crumbled paneer, ginger paste, cornstarch, salt, garam masala and chopped cilantro leaves.
  4. Also add the raisins and cashews.
  5. Knead well and divide this mixture into 8 equal portions and form balls with them.
  6. Heat the oil in a kadai for frying. Check if the oil is hot enough by sliding in a small portion of the malai kofta mixture.
  7. Heat a large amount of vegetable oil in a karahi or a large deep pan for frying.
  8. Bring the oil to a temperature of approximately 350 F (170°C).
  9. Dip the malai kofta in hot oil and fry over medium heat until crispy and golden.
  10. Remove them from the oil with a skimmer and place them on paper towels.

Assembly of malai kofta

  1. Transfer the curry sauce to a deep serving dish.
  2. Place the fried and slightly cooled malai kofta in the sauce and add a little on top (avoid adding hot kofta to a hot sauce).
  3. Serve each dish, with a garnish of cilantro leaves and a teaspoon of malai.
  4. Serve with naan and rice.
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Overall Rating

5.0

6 reviews
Excellent

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