Malai Kofta Curry

About this Recipe...

Malai Kofta is a vegetarian delight for special occasion. This is a rich preparation with dry fruits stuffed paneer ball dumplings floating in creamy gravy.
It's a delicacy from North Indian cuisine and loved by all. It's a must item in any restaurant menu, but try to make this curry at home. You will fall in love with your home made Malai Kofta Curry because it is too delicious and even it is taste better than the restaurant curry.
So try this recipe at home by following few simple steps and enjoy it at home with naan or pulao.

Ingredients

For making Kofta Balls

• 1 Cup Fresh homemade grated paneer
• 1/2 Cup Boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 Cup Chopped dry fruits for filling (cashew nuts, raisins and almonds)
• 1 Tbsp Corn starch + 1 tsp for coating the kofta
• Oil for frying the koftas

For making the Gravy

• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Pieces Green cardamom
• 1 Bay leaf
• 4 Pepper corn
• 1/2 Cup Onion paste
• 1 Tbsp Ginger-garlic-green chili paste
• 1/2 Cup Tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Cashew paste
• Water to make the gravy
• 1/4 Cup Heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

Directions

1. Heat one tsp of oil and lightly fry all the chopped dry fruits and keep them aside.
2. Now in a mixing bowl, add grated paneer, mashed potato, salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder and one tbsp corn starch. Mix everything well and make a kind of dough.
3. Now divide the dough in equal parts, take one part and make a ball. Now make a cavity in the ball and put little bit of fried dry fruits into it.
4. Now close all the sides of it and make a smooth ball, so the filling doesn't come out.
5. Make all the kofta balls like this and coat the balls with corn starch.
6. Now in a frying pan, heat enough oil to fry the koftas. When oil gets hot, add the koftas and fry it till it gets golden brown color.
7. Take out the koftas and keep them in a plate with absorbent paper towel so it soaks the extra oil out of it.
   
8. For making the gravy heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. When oil gets hot, add bay leaf, cardamom pods and pepper corn for tempering.
9. Now add the onion paste and sauté it till the raw smell goes away.
10. Now add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and sauté it for couple of minutes.
11. Next add the red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder to it and fry it for few minutes.
12. Now add the tomato purée followed by salt and sugar and cook it till everything gets cooked well.
13. Now add the cashew paste and mix it well with the gravy. At this point of time, add required amount of water to make the gravy.
14. Cover the lid of the pan and let it come to a boil.
15. When the gravy will starts boiling, add heavy cream to it. Cook it again for 2-3 minutes.
16. After 2 minutes the gravy will become smooth and thick, add garam masala powder to it. Stir it once again again the malai kofta gravy is ready.
17. Now add the fried koftas to the gravy and serve it hot.
18. Note: If you want to serve the curry later, then don't add the koftas to it, it can make the kofta very soft and can break it. When you are ready to serve the curry, just before that add the koftas into it and serve.