Malai Kofta

Malai kofta is a vegetarian take on the meat koftas of Mughlai cooking, developed in the kitchens of Awadh and later popularised by North Indian restaurants. The name refers to cream, both in the gravy and, in many old recipes, in the kofta mixture itself, which makes the dumplings exceptionally soft.

The koftas are made from grated paneer and boiled potato, bound with a little cornflour and stuffed with chopped cashews and raisins before being fried golden. They should be crisp outside and soft enough inside to break with a spoon. The gravy is a mild, silky blend of tomatoes, onions and cashews, finished with cream and a touch of sugar.

It is a special-occasion dish for weddings, Diwali and dinner parties. To keep the koftas from turning soggy, the gravy is poured over them just before serving rather than simmered together. The koftas can be fried a day ahead and the gravy kept in the fridge, so the final assembly takes only minutes. Serve it with plain naan or a light peas pulao, since the dish itself is already very rich.

At a glance

Region	Uttar Pradesh
Cuisine	Mughlai
Diet	Vegetarian
Course	Main course
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	40 minutes
Total time	70 minutes
Serves	4
Spice level	Mild
Difficulty	Hard
Gluten-free	Yes
Key ingredients	paneer / potato / cashew / cream / tomato

Ingredients

For the koftas

• 200 g paneer, finely grated
• 2 medium potatoes, boiled, cooled and grated
• 2 tbsp cornflour, plus extra for coating
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chopped cashews
• 1 tbsp raisins
• Oil for deep frying

For the gravy

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 bay leaf, 3 green cardamom, 3 cloves
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 15 cashews, soaked
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
• 1/4 cup fresh cream
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Mix paneer, potato, cornflour, green chilli, salt and garam masala and knead lightly into a smooth, crack-free dough. Divide into 12 portions.
2. Flatten each portion, place a few pieces of cashew and a raisin in the centre, close and roll into a smooth ball or oval. Roll lightly in cornflour.
3. Heat oil to medium-hot, about 170 C. Fry one test kofta first; if it breaks, add a little more cornflour to the mixture. Fry 3 to 4 at a time, turning gently, for 3 to 4 minutes until evenly golden. Drain on paper.
4. For the gravy, heat butter and oil on medium, add the whole spices, then onion. Cook 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste for a minute, then tomatoes, cashews and a splash of water. Cover and cook 10 minutes until very soft. Cool and blend smooth, then strain.
6. Return the puree to the pan with chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and 3/4 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes on low until creamy and glossy.
7. Add sugar, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi, then stir in the cream and heat through.
8. Arrange the koftas in a serving dish and pour the hot gravy over just before serving. Garnish with a swirl of cream.

Tips

• Squeeze excess moisture from the paneer and use potatoes boiled a few hours ahead; wet mixture causes koftas to split in oil.
• Do not overcrowd the kadai – the oil temperature drops and koftas absorb oil.
• Koftas can be fried up to a day ahead and reheated in a warm oven.

Serve with

Butter naan, kulcha or peas pulao.