Easy Malai Kofta Recipe for You to Try

The ultimate comfort dish from North India is malai kofta. Kofta, or crispy paneer dumplings, are served with a delicious, rich sauce. The gourmet Indian flavours of this Malai Kofta recipe will brighten your dinner tables and add excitement to your special meal occasions. A delightful delicacy of paneer and potato balls cooked in a spiced tomato sauce is the Malai Kofta recipe. This kofta recipe offers a healthier alternative to the usual deep-fried kofta dishes.

Malai Kofta Ingredients

For the gravy

1. 1 tbsp avocado oil
2. 1- inch stick cinnamon
3. 1 bay leaf
4. 3 cloves
5. 4 green cardamoms
6. 1 tsp cumin seeds
7. 1 large white onion roughly chopped
8. 2 green chilies roughly chopped
9. 1- inch ginger chopped
10. 6 cloves garlic chopped
11. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
12. 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder paprika
13. 1/4 tsp red chili powder cayenne
14. 1 tbsp coriander powder
15. salt to taste
16. 3 plum tomatoes roughly chopped
17. 1/2 cup cashew nuts
18. 2 cups water add a little more while straining if needed
19. 1/2 cup whole milk
20. 1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves Kasoori Methi
21. 1 tbsp butter optional

For the kofta

1. 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil divided
2. 1 cup paneer store-bought, soaked in hot water, grated
3. 1 cup potato boiled & grated
4. 1 1/2 tbsp cilantro chopped
5. 1 inch piece ginger grated
6. 1 green chilli
7. 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
8. 1 tbsp cashews chopped
9. 1 tbsp raisins
10. 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
11. 3/4 tsp salt

For garnish

1. fresh cilantro leaves chopped
2. sprinkle of Kashmiri red chilli powder
3. 2 tsp heavy cream optional

For preparation

Step 1: Boil 2 russet potatoes. When making paneer, add boiling water and let the pre-made cheese sit for 20 minutes. The paneer will be more supple as a result.

Step 2: Chop the garlic, ginger, and green chilies for the gravy. The tomatoes and onions can also be chopped roughly rather than neatly.

Preparing gravy

Step 1: A dutch oven should be heated to medium heat before adding oil, a bay leaf, a cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, cloves, and green cardamom. Cook for one minute.

Step 2: Onion to the mix until transparent, saute for 2 minutes. AVOID BROWNING THE ONIONS!

Step 3: Add the green chilies, ginger, and garlic. 2 minutes of sautéing.

Step 4: Salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and Kashmiri chilli powder (similar to paprika) are now added after the tomatoes. The tomatoes should start to soften after 3 minutes of sautéing.

Step 5: Cashews without salt are added. Cook for one minute.

Step 6: Pour in 2 cups of water. Relatively thorough stirring. On low to medium heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Preparing the Kofta

Step 1: Make the kofta while you wait. Grate the boiling potatoes, ginger, and melted paneer in a bowl. Incorporate chopped fresh cilantro, cornstarch, salt, chopped cashews, raisins, and crushed cardamom as well. Mix well. To crush the mixture, you’ll need to use your hands.

Step 2: Make kofta balls by dividing the kofta ingredients equally. Place aside.

Step 3: Check on the gravy in the meantime and switch off the stove. Throw away the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Before combining, let the gravy mixture cool for ten minutes.

Step 4: A cast-iron skillet should be heated at low to medium heat. For 4-5 minutes, let the cast iron heat up till nice and hot. Add 1 tbsp of avocado oil. Turn the oil in a circle.

Step 5: Place the skillet with the koftas on it. For two minutes, let the koftas look softly brown.

Step 6: Gently arrange the koftas using a spatula. Give it a minute or two to sit.

Step 7: The koftas are beginning to turn brown. Cook everything in small batches. Start moving the koftas to a place where the oil accumulates. Cook for about 5 minutes – turning occasionally.

Step 8: In order to fry the koftas on the sides where they are still white, Add an additional 1/2 tbsp of oil at this point. It will take another five minutes or so.

Step 9: The koftas are now finished. Make sure it has a good golden brown colour while being careful not to overbrown them. Stop using the stove and put it aside.

Mix the Gravy

Step 1: Fill a blender with the cooled gravy. Takes approximately a minute to blend until very smooth.

Step 2: Reintroduce the gravy to the original Dutch oven pot after passing it through a sieve.

Step 3: Add milk (we are not adding cream). Stir. On low heat, simmer for ten minutes.

Step 4: Once finished, you ought to have this. Taste the gravy and add more salt if necessary.

Step 5: Add Kasoori methi. You might choose to add a tablespoon of butter for added richness.

Step 6: Koftas should be placed in a serving bowl after adding to the gravy. Garnish with fresh cilantro and Kashmiri red chilli.

Tips to Enhance the Taste

1. Make the sauce and kofta together to speed up the process so that you may begin preparing the kofta while the sauce is cooking.
2. When making the sauce, be careful not to overcook the onions or tomatoes because doing so will change the colour of the finished product.
3. Make sure to use white onions for the dish’s onions; red onions will cause the dish’s colour to change.
4. Make sure to finely grate the potatoes and paneer before combining them to make the kofta so there are no lumps.
5. This recipe doesn’t contain any butter or cream, but if you want to indulge, you may add 1-2 tbsp of butter to the sauce. 
6. Keep the gravy and kofta balls apart because if you heat the kofta with the gravy, it could easily break. When it’s time to serve, place the gravy in a bowl and top with the kofta.

Serving Ideas

The best way to serve Malai Kofta is with plain basmati rice cooked with whole spices and a tablespoon of ghee. It can pair well with jeera rice, ghee rice, paratha, or naan. 

Nutritional Content in Malai Kofta

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What can be used in the Malai Kofta sauce in place of cashews?

Almonds that have been soaked may also be used! You can choose to use a little bit more cream in the recipe if you can’t have nuts. To make the kofta, substitute 2 tablespoons of milk powder or 3 tablespoons of khoya for the almond flour (mawa or dried evaporated milk solids).

Q. What kind of paneer is ideal for this Malai Kofta recipe?

It is usually preferable to use home-made paneer while preparing any paneer meal.

Q. What is the ideal method for serving malai kofta?

The ideal accompaniments for malai kofta are roti, paratha, naan, or roomali roti. Plain steamed basmati rice or jeera rice works great with it if you’re trying to avoid gluten.

Q. What are malai kofta’s health benefits?

Malai Kofta is a healthy vegetarian dish that is high in fibre and a good source of protein and lipids. This malai kofta recipe has numerous health advantages because the vegetables used also contain a variety of nutrients. It may help reduce blood pressure levels in the body.

Q. Can people with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity eat Malai Kofta? 

No, this dish is not healthy for diabetics, the heart, or for losing weight. In this dish, there are 4 unhealthy ingredients. Avoid foods like potatoes, cornflour, sugar, and fresh cream as they are not suited for a healthy lifestyle.