How to make Malai Kofta at home

Malai Kofta - a vegetarian delight

Malai Kofta - I wonder who invented this vegetarian delicacy. Malai means milk cream and Koftas are the deep-fried balls. Koftas are not Indian born, they got adopted from Turkey and blended well here in much modified fashion. These koftas are of assorted types - starting from many non-vegetarian versions to a few vegetarian ones. In this recipe, these fried balls are made of potato, paneer (cottage cheese) and several dry fruits, and just before serving gets dunked into a smooth & creamy gravy.

Malai Kofta is loved by each Indian born vegetarian. I personally use this for my judgement of any new restaurant I visit. If they present me a scrumptious dish and clear the Malai Kofta criterion, they win a revisit or say multi-visit pass. 😀

Currently, the entire India is locked down due to COVID-19, and we are stuck at home with no outside food available, we have no choice but to cook our favourite foods by ourselves. So let me share my version of this mouthwatering recipe with you all. Though it looks complicated and rich, but on the other hand, it's very easy to make. Hope this will help you serve your taste buds. The below recipe serves 6 people (in the above pictures I plated for 2) 

How to make the gravy:

Ingredients in the same sequence of need:

• Ghee - 1-2 tsp

• Cooking oil (don't put olive or mustard oil) - 1-2 tsp

• Bay leaves / Tej Patta - 2-3

• Cardamom / Elaichi - 5-6

• Black pepper / kali mirch - 1 tsp

• Shah jeera (if you dont have it then normal jeera/cumin) - 1 tsp

• Onions - 2 medium size 

• Garlic cloves - 5-6, chopped

• Ginger - 1 inch, chopped

• Salt - as per your taste

• Coriander powder - 2 tsp 

• Kashmiri lal mirch (red chili) powder - 2 tsp 

• Turmeric / haldi - half tsp 

• Shahi paneer masala - 2 tbsp

• Tomatoes - 4-5 medium sized 

• Cashew / Kaju - 18-20

• Water - 1 glass

• Cream / malai - 2-3 tbsp

Note: tsp - teaspoon, tbsp - tablespoon

Utensils:

• Kadhai / frying pan

• Mixer Grinder

• Strainer

Recipe:

Take a little amount of ghee and mix oil in a frying pan (don't put much oil and ghee as it is only for tempering), once heated put bay leaves, cardamom, black pepper and shah jeera. Put roughly chopped onions and saute it for 3-4 mins. It should NOT be cooked till golden brown otherwise taste will be bitter. Now add garlic cloves, ginger, salt, coriander powder, Kashmiri Lal Mirch powder (this is purely for colour), turmeric (for colour), and Shahi paneer masala (if you don't have then put garam masala). 

After mixing all, add tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 mins on medium flame. Add cashews and saute for another minute and not more, tomatoes shouldn't be overcooked otherwise the colour of the gravy will be darker than what is needed. Add some water and bring it all to a boil. 

Once it starts boiling, remove the pan from the flame and keep it aside to cool down. Later, grind it thoroughly by gradually mixing some water and then using a steady strainer, thoroughly strain the puree to get a smooth and consistent paste. 

Now, in the same frying pan put the puree back on the stove to boil for around 10-12 mins on medium flame. And your gravy is ready, turn off the flame and in the end add some cream - quantity as per your taste, I added around 2-3 spoons. 

How to make the Kofta: 

Ingredients in same sequence of need:

• Potatoes - boiled - 2 medium sized 

• Paneer / Cottage cheese -200 gm

• Salt - as per your taste

• cornflour - 3-4 tbsp

• Raisins / Kishmish - 10-12

• Cashews / Kaju - 5-6 

• Almonds / Badam - 5-6

• Pistachio / Pista - 5-6

• Cardamom - 1 - powdered

• Oil - for deep frying

Utensils:

• Bowl - big

• Grater

• Kadhai / frying pan

Recipe:

In a bowl, take boiled potatoes and paneer both finely grated and to this mix add a little salt, and around 2-3 tbsp of cornflour (for proper binding). Now make dough from it, add cornflour little by little you will understand how much is needed to make the balls. If you feel that it is very loose, add a little more cornflour. 

For filling in the Kofta - Take finely chopped dry fruits of your choice. I used raisins, cashews, almonds and pistachio. Mix cardamom powder in it and a pinch of salt. 

Heat the oil for deep frying in a frying pan. For trial purpose, first, prepare only one kofta ball. Make a small ball from the dough, fill a little amount of dry-fruit filling mix and seal it properly (keep size and shape of your choice). If it is breaking in oil you must have added less cornflour, add a little more to the dough and try making the ball again. Please remember that the kofta balls are extremely soft so you have to delicately fry all koftas on medium flame. 

For plating - Take a shallow bowl and pour the gravy in it, now plate the Koftas on top. Garnish it with some chopped coriander and a little amount of grated paneer. It's all done! Enjoy your appetizing Malai Koftas with Rice or Naan. 🙂 Please give your feedback on the recipe, and feel free to ask questions. Thanks!!