Malai kofta
Malai Kofta is a very classic punjabi dish from North India. Dumplings of paneer (cottage cheese) and potatoes stuffed with nuts, rasins are served in a rich gravy made from tomatoes and cashewnuts. The gravy can be white as in most mughalai dishes or with a onion & tomato base. Today's is a Jain gravy, without using onions and garlic as I made this on a auspicious day of Shravan month when onions & garlic are usually avoided.
Make the kofta's and gravy separately and serve them together as needed. If you keep the koftas in the gravy for a long time, they will all get mushy and become one with the gravy.
For the koftas
What you'll need
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 cup grated paneer
1 green chilli finely chopped (use more if you want some spiciness)
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp coriander powder
A pinch of garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder
A bowl of corn flour to roll the koftas before frying.
Oil to deep fry
Salt as per taste
How to
Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl and check the seasoning. Add more salt and garam masala powder if needed to suit your taste. Make medium sized round balls and roll them once in a bowl of corn flour. Dust away the excess flour and deep fry in vegetable oil on medium flame until golden dry. Place the kofta's on a paper towel to drain the excess oil and keep aside. Stuff small pieces of cashewnuts and rasins in the kofta balls to make them extra special.
For the gravy
What you'll need
3 large tomatoes
1 tsp kasori methi
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 cup full cream
Salt, sugar/honey
1 tsp chilli powder
A pinch of cardammom powder
2-3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg powder
1 tbsp cooking oil
How to
Boil the tomatoes in water in a deep bottomed sauce pan for around 15 minutes, until the skin breaks. Discard the water and allow them to cool. Once the tomatoes reach the room temperatue, peel the outer skin and pure them to a fine paste. I usually bake the tomatoes at 180 degrees for around half an hour until the skin breaks. This gives a slight burnt flavour to the dish which I like a lot.
Heat oil in a non stick sauce pan. Add the whole spices, finely chopped ginger and saute for a minute. Add 1 tbsp honey and saute for half a minute. Once the honey is bubbly, add the tomato puree and let it cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw flavours go off and the gravy start releasing oil. Add nutmeg powder, salt, chilli powder to the mixture. Add cream and allow to cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add kasori methi. The gravy for the koftas is ready. Add koftas to this curry, only if you are serving it immediately.
To serve the kofta curry, place the koftas in a bowl and pour the gravy over it.Sprinkle some coriander leaves, grated panner and serve immediately with roti or nan.
