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.