MALAI KOFTA CURRY

Few Indian vegetarian curries that never go out of fashion and are always makes you salivated by just hearing its name. One such curry is Malai Kofta and this easy step by step photo recipe gives it a unique taste and twist making it suitable to be served as a party snack or traditional curry. This is a delicious North Indian speciality dish. It is vegetarian alternative to meatballs and it goes well with any flat breads or with jeera rice. It makes a rich main dish for any special occasion. The richness of cream and aromatic flavour of spices makes this dish a favourite choice of all…!!!

INGREDIENTS:

To boil and grind into puree:

1-2 Medium sized Onions , Roughly Chopped

½ Cup Grated Coconut

½ inch Piece of Ginger

5-6 Cloves Garlic

2-3 Medium Sized Tomatoes [blanched]

5-6 Cashew Nuts

½ Cup Water [for soaking cashew nuts]

For Gravy:

1 tablespoon Oil

1 tablespoon Butter [optional]

1 Bay Leaf

¼ inch Piece of Cinnamon stick

2-3 Cloves

2 Green Cardamom

1-2 pieces of Mace

Salt to taste

1½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

½ to ¾ Cup Water (or as needed)

½ teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon Kasoori Methi, lightly crushed between your palm

¼ cup Heavy Cream or Malai

For Kofta:

2 Small or 1 Cup Boiled Potatoes, peeled and smashed

1 cup Paneer, Grated or Crumbled

3 tablespoon Corn Flour or Corn Starch

½ teaspoon Garam Masala
Salt as needed

For stuffing:
1 tablespoon Raisins, chopped
1 tablespoon Cashews, chopped

For Batter:

2 tablespoon Wheat Flour

4 tablespoon Water

Oil for deep frying the koftas

METHOD:

For making the Gravy:

STEP 1 – First blanch the tomatoes, cool them and make a puree in mixer grinder.

STEP 2 – Soak cashew nuts in luke warm water for 15 minutes

and then make a paste in mixer grinder with some water.

STEP 3 – Now heat a pan with oil and add the whole spices in it and roast for few seconds.

STEP 4 – Then add onion, coconut, ginger and garlic paste in it and sauté well for a minute or two. [roast chopped onion with 1 teaspoon oil and roast grated coconut separately , cool it and then grind onion, coconut, garlic and ginger together to get the paste consistency]

STEP 5 – Then add the dry spice powders except garam masala and mix well and cook for few minutes.

STEP 6 – Now add tomatoe puree in it , mix well and cook for some time stirring continuously.

STEP 7 -  Now add the cashew paste and mix well.

Then add the garam masala in it and mix

and cook it till it starts to leave the sides of the pan.

STEP 8 – Then add 2 tablespoon thick curd and mix.

Cook for 1-2 minutes and then add water to it, mix well and cook the gravy. While cooking, it may splutter. You can partially cover the pan with lid.

STEP  9 – Mix well. Adjust the water quantity as per your liking gravy consistency. Let it simmer on low-medium for 5 minutes.

STEP 10 – Then add crushed kasoori methi, mix well. Turn off the stove. Gravy is ready. Keep it covered.

For making Kofts:

STEP 1 – Now we will make kofta. Take grated paneer, boiled, mashed potatoes, corn flour, garam masala, cashews, raisins and salt in a bowl. If you need then use either bread crumbs or besan flour for binding.

STEP 2 – Mix well using hand, knead into a dough.

STEP 3 – Now divide the mixture into 12-13 equal portion. Shape  these portions into elongated bullet size or oval shape koftas. Stuff them with chopped cashews and raisins. Close the sides well.

STEP 4 – While you are shaping the balls. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat for deep frying.

STEP 5 – Make a batter with wheat flour and water.

Deep the ready koftas in the wheat flour batter

and then roll them in bread crumbs.

STEP 6 - Once oil is hot, add few kofta gently into the hot oil.

STEP 7 – Fry them on medium heat, keep moving them so it gets even browning from all the sides.

STEP 8 – Once browned from all the sides. Remove it using the slotted spatula.

STEP 10 – Keep them on paper towel lined plate.

For Serving:

STEP 1 – Now at the time of serving, reheat the gravy.

STEP 2 – Add the fried kofta into the gravy and serve it.

 Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream and garnish it with chopped coriander.

STEP 3 – If serving to guests or special occasions, remove the gravy into a serving bowl.

STEP 4 – Dip the ready koftas in heavy cream and coat them well with cream.

STEP 5 - Then add malai dipped kofta into the bowl and serve. Give a gentle stir, so little cream gets into the gravy which gives the marble effect.

Add the kofta at the time of serving. Once kofta are added, it must be served immediately. Otherwise kofta will get soggy.

 I    NOTES:  *Instead of dipping the kofta into cream, you can add cream directly into the gravy. And add fried kofta as such. But traditionally it is dipped into malai, hence called malai kofta.

·                    *If serving malai kofta later or next day, keep the gravy in container in refrigerator. Roll the koftas, arrange them on the plate, cover it plastic wrap. At the time of serving of half an hour ago, deep fry the koftas. Dip into cream and add into the gravy. Once koftas are added, it needs to be served right away.

MASALA PAV

A masaledar combination of onion, tomato, green chillies and spread of pav or bread and then lightly roasted on a tawa / skillet to let all flavours get incorporated in pav. Masala Pav is a classic street food. Its amazing, how road side vendors have invented some of the tastiest dishes. If you are not familiar with the famous Mumbai street food, you are missing out. I have already shared some of the chaat varities and will be sharing many more in future. A soft  pav is loaded with spicy masala. It is then toasted with some butter to make it extra delicious. You are sure to keep licking your fingers. It makes a great evening snack, a tasty dinner or a weekend brunch.  Masala pav is one recipe which I wanted to try for a long time. It is a simple recipe but taste really delicious and buttery. The recipe is very easy to make, you need few veggies, some butter and ladi pav. The main taste comes from the pav bhaji masala powder. Hope you all like this simple, tasty and easy recipe, if yes then don’t forget to comment below in the comment box.

INGREDIENTS:

For Masala:

4 tablespoon Butter

 1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds

4 tablespoon Red Chilli-Garlic Paste

1¼ cups Finely Chopped Onions

1 Cup Finely Chopped Capsicum

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Greens from Spring Onions

4 Cups Finely Chopped Tomatoes

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon Chilli Powder

1 tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala

¼ cups Finely Chopped Coriander

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Other INGREDIENTS:

8 teaspoon Butter

8 Ladi Pav

For Serving:

A few lemon wedges

METHOD:

STEP 1 –  First make a paste with red chilli powder and garlic with a little water in mixer grinder. Keep it aside.

STEP 2 - Heat the butter in a deep kadhai and add the cumin seeds.

STEP 3 – Add chopped onions and green chillies in it and sauté till onion get cooked.

STEP 4 – Then add  red chilli-garlic paste and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

STEP 5 – Add capsicum and mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes or till the onions turn translucent, while stirring occasionally.

STEP 6 – Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Mash it with spoon while cooking.

STEP 7 - Add spice powders and mix well and cook on a medium flame for 7-8 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

STEP 8 – Season this mixture with salt as per your taste, add some chopped coriander and stir well. Add 2-3 tablespoon water and mash it with masher.

STEP 8 – Add the lemon juice,

1/4 cup of water and mix well. Cook it for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture gets little thicker

add remaining chopped coriander, mix it and simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

STEP 9 – Divide the mixture into equal portions and keep aside.

How to proceed:

STEP 1 – Heat 1 teaspoon of butter on a non-stick tawa.

Give a vertical cut in the pav. Keep them aside.

STEP 3 - Add some bhaji/ above mixture on tawa and roast for 1 -2 minutes. Then add little butter on the side and toast pav for a minute or two from both sides.

STEP 4 - Close the pav and toast on the masala for 1 more minute. Masala pav is ready to be served. In the same pan melt more butter and toast the other pav as well.

STEP 5 – Repeat  the same with the remaining pav till all the masala is used up.

Serve hot masala pav garnished with finely chopped coriander, chopped onions and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

NOTES: *Instead of butter you can use oil for the bhaji mixture.

                    *If you find the masala is getting dried while cooking, you can add more water.