Malai Kofta, Indian Restaurant Style Recipe
Creamy and richly flavored, this restaurant-style Indian malai kofta recipe boasts crispy potato and paneer balls in an aromatic sauce.
Ingredients
For the Kofta
- 220 g potato peeled and cut into large pieces
- 120 g paneer grated
- Sea salt to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander cilantro in the U.S.
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoon cornflour cornflour in the U.S.
For the Curry
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 leaves Indian bay
- 2 pods black cardamom
- 1 inch true cinnamon
- 3 pods green cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 100 g white onion chopped
- 1 inch ginger
- 5 cloves garlic
- 280 g tomatoes 280 = 2 and a half large, chopped
- 40 g raw cashews unsalted
- 200 ml hot water
- 20 g butter or ghee
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 200 ml hot water
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons double cream heavy cream in the U.S.
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves kasuri methi
Other Ingredients
- 1 litre oil for deep-frying**
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large kadai or saucepan over medium heat. Add your aromatic spices: 2 leaves Indian bay, 2 pods black cardamom, 1 inch true cinnamon, 3 pods green cardamom, and 3 cloves. Let them cook for 30 seconds - 1 minute until fragrant. Next, add 100 g white onion, 5 cloves garlic, and 1 inch ginger. Sauté for another minute, and add 280 g tomatoes. Cook until lightly softened, then add 40 g raw cashews and 200 ml hot water. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
- Boil 220 g potato until knife-soft (roughly 10 minutes), then drain them completely, cool, and mash until smooth. Mix the potato with 120 g paneer (grated), Sea salt, black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander, and a sprinkle of ¼ teaspoon garam masala. Add 1 ½ teaspoon cornflour and knead into a mass. Don't overwork. Make 6 small balls and gently flatten them*.
- Purée the curry gravy with a hand blender or powerful mixer until smooth. Pass it through a sieve to get that ultra-silky texture.
- Heat 20 g butter in the large kadai over low heat. Add the powdered spices: ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. Cook them for a few seconds — be careful not to burn the spices or they will become bitter — then add the puréed gravy. Mix well and add 200 ml hot water to adjust the consistency. Simmer on low heat.
- Heat 1 litre oil in a deep-sided kadai, saucepan, or deep-fat fryer. Once the oil reaches around 180℃ (350℉) gently add the kofta.*** Let them fry undisturbed (moving them can break the kofta) until golden brown, then drain.
- Finish the curry with 2 tablespoons double cream , ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg powder, ½ teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves crushed between your palms. Add the kofta and serve hot with naan or other dishes of your choice.
Notes
* The kofta fries quicker this way, but you can keep them as round balls if you prefer.
** If you would prefer not to deep-fry the kofta, you can also make air-fried or oven-baked malai kofta.
To bake malai kofta: Mix all the kofta ingredients as usual, shape them into balls (or discs), and preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Cook on parchment paper for around 25 minutes, turning halfway, until golden brown.
To air-fry malai kofta: Spray the kofta with cooking spray and arrange them on parchment paper, inside the air-fryer basket. Set the air-fryer to 180°C (356°F) and air-fry for around 5-8 minutes, then turn and cook for another 5-8 minutes, until golden. Spray more oil if necessary halfway.
*** Don't add the kofta to oil that's too cold, as it can cause them to break. Use a kitchen thermometer or a wooden chopstick test (if the oil bubbles around the tip of a chopstick, it's ready).
Nutrition
Serving: 4gCalories: 1392kcalCarbohydrates: 200.7gProtein: 35.2gFat: 64gSaturated Fat: 21.6gCholesterol: 69mgFiber: 40.2gSugar: 24.3g
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