Mains

Malai Kofta

by Sean

A friend pointed out to me that I haven’t really posted any curries or Indian food on my blog up to this point which is what inspired me to start working on this recipe. Malai kofta is a personal favourite dish, fried potato and paneer koftas drenched in a gravy that is spicy and slightly sweet. Its super simple to make but does require a fair amount of time for preparation. This recipe does contain a few ingredients that can be a little hard to find, mace and kasuri methi, but I was able to source both from a local Indian grocer.

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5 from 1 vote

Malai Kofta

Malai kofta is a personal favourite dish, fried potato and paneer koftas drenched in a gravy that is spicy and slightly sweet.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: kofta, malai kofta, paneer
Servings: 4

Ingredients

kofta ingredients

  • 2 medium potatoes boiled peeled and mashed
  • 100 g paneer grated
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • oil for frying

gravy ingredients

  • 2 medium brown onions pureed
  • 1 crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¼ cup cashews soaked overnight then blitzed to a paste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 inch ginger minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kasuri methi
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 3 strands mace
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

  • To make the kofta, combine all ingredients except sugar in a bowl and mix well then form into 1 ½ tablespoon balls.
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan to 160°C. fry the kofta several at a time until golden. Set aside on paper towel to drain.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add in the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, mace and cloves. Fry stirring regularly for 1 ½ minutes.
  • Add the onion paste and fry until browned, 5-6 minutes. Add in the ginger, garlic and ground spices then sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for 2 further minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients then simmer for 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  • Just before serving, add the kofta and gently stir through the gravy. Serve over basmati rice.

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