One of the popular North Indian curries that have always made the great eaters salivate and has never went out of fashion is the Malai Kofta. Malai ( cream ) and Kofta ( paneer with veggie balls ) are prepared separately and combined together while serving. The richness of cream & aromatic flavor of spices gives heavenly experience. Malai kofta curry is a thick, creamy and delicious gravy with fried koftas. It is served with rice, naan or paratha.
Ingredients for Malai Kofta
For grinding and boiling
- 3 chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 3 tomatoes
- 50 grams cashew nuts paste
- ½ cup water
For Gravy
- 1-2 tablespoon oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
- 200 ml malai or cream
- Salt to taste normally ½ teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon kasturi methi (dry Fenugreek)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon power
- ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoon raisins and cashew nuts
- ½ teaspoon red chilly powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric power
- 2-3 cloves
- ¾ cup of water
For Kofta
- 4 boiled potatoes mashed
- 250 gm paneer (cottage cheese)
- 50 gm flour
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 2 tablespoon raisins and cashew nuts
- Salt to taste normally ½ teaspoon
- 150 ml oil for deep fry
How to make a perfect Malai Kofta?
Heat oil in a pan then add all the ingredients of grinding like onions, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts and lastly water. Leave it for about 15 mins in medium temperature. Slowly tomatoes and onions change its color and will be soft.
Take a blender or you can grind the cooked tomatoes and onion gravy as well.
Again, heat another pan add oil and butter (as butter is optional) then add bay leaf, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon and all other ingredients then finally add prepared puree then salt and stir. Cook till it turn out gravy.
Now it’s time for kofta, mix all the ingredients for kofta expect oil. Use your hand to knead them well into a dough. Then divide them into small balls.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan for frying. Once oil is hot then gently add small ball shaped kofta into hot oil. Using slotted spatula keep it moving as to cook even. After few minutes it start browning then remove it through slotted spatula.
Finally, take malai or cream in a bowl and dip kofta into cream then keep them into a bowl of tomatoes gravy. You can sprinkle some coriander and grated coconut. Serve malai kofta immediately with naan or paratha.