Malai Kofta

This restaurant style malai kofta curry is so delicious and very easy to make at home. Deep fried paneer balls are coated with cream and added into rich red gravy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Punjabi

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1hour

 

Ingredients

To boil and grind into puree:

• 1 large or 1 cup Onion roughly chopped
• ½ inch Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 3 medium or 2 cup Tomato roughly chopped
• 5-6 Cashew nuts
• ½ cup Water

For malai kofta recipe:

• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 1 tablespoon Butter
• 1 Bay leaf
• ¼ inch Cinnamon stick
• 2-3 Cloves
• 2 Green cardamoms
• Salt to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoons Red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• ½ to ¾ cup Water or as needed
• ½ teaspoon Garam masala
• 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves) lightly crushed between your palm
• ¼ cup Heavy whipping cream or fresh cream or malai

For kofta:

• 2 small or 1 cup Potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
• 1 cup Paneergrated or crumbled
• 3 tablespoons Corn flour (corn starch)
• 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts chopped
• 1 tablespoon Raisins
• Oil for deep frying kofta

Instructions

Making malai kofta curry recipe:

1. Take onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts and water in a saucepan and turn the heat on medium.
2. Let it simmer for 15 minutes till it is soft and cooked.
3. Once cooled down, make a smooth puree using the blender.
4. Heat the oil and butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick, fry for 40 seconds.
5. Add prepared puree, sprinkle salt and mix. Let it cook till all the moisture is evaporated and it starts to leave the sides of the pan.
6. Then mix in red chili powder and coriander powder and cook for a minute.
7. Add water to make gravy and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Mix in crushed kasoori methi and garam masala.
9. Turn off the stove. Keep it covered.

Making kofta recipe:

1. Take all kofta ingredients except oil in a bowl, knead into a dough.
2. Now divide the mixture into 12-13 equal portions and make smooth balls.
3. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat for deep frying.
4. Once the oil is hot, add few koftas gently into the hot oil.
5. Once browned from all the sides remove it using the slotted spatula and keep them on paper towel lined plate.
6. Now at the time of serving, reheat the gravy.
7. Take heavy cream in a bowl, dip each kofta into the cream and then add into the gravy.
8. Give it a gentle stir, so little cream gets into the gravy then serve.

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving