Malai Kofta Step by Step Recipe

Most often delicious food involves elaborate procedures and lots of calories. It is not always true but most often times it is. Malai refers to cream and koftas used to dunk in the cream is made of paneer and potatoes. This particular Moghalai dish is loaded with Paneer, cashews, cream and other ingredients that will definitely make people think twice before indulging in the pure magic of this highly addictive, wonderful tasting dish.

It is definitely a time consuming process and I strongly believe that finding a shortcut or trying to reduce the calorie/fat content will ruin the extraordinary taste that the dish possesses. Indulging once in a while is worth the try. I made them for my daughters birthday and all my guests loved them. The menu for her birthday was~Nan,Tomato rice, Curd rice, Malai kofta, Achari Chicken, Raita  and Malai Jamun 

Ingredients:

For koftas:

1. Paneer 14 oz (approx 400 g)
2. 5 potatoes, medium-sized
3. 2 big carrots, grated
4. ½ cup, cashews
5. ¼ cup, golden raisins
6. 1 teaspoon, salt
7. 5 to 6 Green chillies
8. v cup Corn flour/ corn starch
9. Finely cut cilantro
10. Salt to taste

For the Malai gravy:

1. 2 cup Onions, roughly chopped
2. 2 cup chopped tomatoes
3. 2teaspoon cumin
4. 1 teaspoon pepper
5. 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. 2 teaspoon chilli powder
7. 2 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
8. 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
9. 2 teaspoon coriander powder
10. 1 teaspoon garam masala powder(MTR)
11. 1 cup small paneer cubes
12. ½ cup cashew
13. ½ cup raisins.
14. 2 cups whole milk
15. 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
16. Oil
17. Salt 

Procedure:

1. Cook the potatoes, when cool peel the skin and mash and set aside.

2. In a food processor grate the paneer, carrots and on low speed grind the rest of the ingredients, ( I am glad I used the processor and not the mixer. The mixer tends to grind to a smooth paste). I recommend the processor but it is not compulsory. When using the mixer, grate the paneer and carrots separately in a grater.

3. Transfer the contents to a mixing bowl. Mix the potatoes and combine well. Set this aside.

4. Heat up oil in a pan/kadai and add the onions and sauté until soft. Now add the cumin and pepper and mix well for few minutes. Now add ginger garlic paste and sauté well for few more minutes.  To this add all the powders and combine well and immediately add the tomatoes. Sauté until it becomes a thick gravy.

5. Remove from heat and mix the cashews and paneer to it. Allow this to cool. When cool grind to a paste in a food processor along with raisins. I would again recommend the food processor since it tends to grind it to a nice creamy & coarse paste.

6. Add a cup of whole milk and 1/4 cup whipping cream and bring to a boil stirring consistently ensuring not to burn the gravy. The creamy gravy tends to burn at the bottom. Simmer for about five minutes again stirring consistently. Finally add kasuri methi.

7. Make small balls from the previously prepared kofta dough and dust them with some corn flour as show.

8. Now heat oil in a kadai/pan for deep frying. When hot simmer on medium heat and deep fry the prepared koftas to a nice brown color as shown.

9. Arrange the koftas in a wide baking tray as shown.

10. Pour the prepared gravy to the koftas and let it soak for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This is to soak the koftas a little. Make sure the gravy is warm when adding the koftas.