Malai Kofta For Lets Cook: Mughalai Series

When Radhika announced her lets cook event theme for this month as Mughalai cuisine, she left me drooling by igniting those memories all again. It was my dad who introduced me to malai kofta when i was young. I was a picky and suspicious eater and would never try anything new and that s one of the reasons i amaze my own self when i make something delicious and different in my kitchen. Me thinks, ” Really anusha, how can you be so daring?” Mughalai cuisine is famous because of the extensive fruit and dry fruit usage in their platter. And i say, what a healthy way to eat fruits?? I love some dishes like the Navratna Korma, Zafrani pulao and Kashmiri Pulao. But Malai Kofta is the only dish that stays in my memory and in my taste buds even long after i ve eaten it. What bliss it is to bite into those deep fried koftas dunked in creamy gravy. And it s more bliss to have a Buttery naan with this delicious gravy. I ve been wanting to make it at home and Radhika just provided me with the right excuse. Great timing i say!!.

Prep time: Under 20 mins
Cook Time: Under 40 mins
Serves: 3 


What you need?

For the Koftas:

Potato 1 large boiled
Bread slice the sandwich variety 1
Green peas boiled ½ cup
Paneer grated ½ cup
Onion 1 medium finely chopped
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Green chilli 1 minced finely
Salt as needed
Cilantro ¼ cup chopped finely
Cashews 1 tablespoon broken and fried in ghee
Raisins ½ tablespoon fried till fluffy in ghee

Oil for deep frying
Maida ½ cup and ½ cup + 2 tablespoon water to make paste for coating

For the Gravy:

Onion 1 large chopped finely
Tomatoes 3 medium chopped finely
Grated ginger 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves 4 grated
Cashews 8 soaked in water overnight or atleast for 3 hours
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Full fat milk 1 cup
Fresh cream ½ cup
6 cloves
Cinammon ½ ” piece
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Red chili powder ½ tsp
Cumin coriander powder 1 tbsp
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 1 tsp
Salt
Oil and ghee 3 tablespoon divided in 2:1 ratio

For garnish:

Cilantro 2 tbsps chopped finely
Cream 2 tbsp

How to make it?

Koftas:

In a large mixing bowl, place the potatoes, grated paneer and the peas.
Remove the crust of the bread and dip it in water. Squeeze completely and add to the mixing bowl.
Add all the spice powder, chillies, salt and coriander.
Now mix all the ingredients together like kneading the dough. Make a large lump.
Now start making small balls out of the lump.
Deep fry them in a kadai after coating them with the maida paste until they turn brown in colour.

Keep them aside. Please resist eating them. They are so yummy i ate the first batch and landed up making a second batch.

Now the gravy:

Grind the cashews and poppy seeds to a fine paste. Keep aside.
Heat 2 tablespoon oil ghee mixture in a pan. Add the cloves and cinammon.
Saute for a min. Add the grated ginger and garlic next. Saute till they are light brown.
Now, add the onions and saute till transparent.
Next, toss in the tomatoes and saute till oil separates.
Add all the spice powders, combine well and saute for a min.
Let it cool.
After it cools down, blend the gravy with ½ cup milk in a blender to a fine paste.
In a kadai, heat the remaining oil ghee mixture.
Add the blended mixture and saute for a min. Add the remaining milk at this stage.
Next, add the cashew paste and stir well.
Finally, add the cream and combine well.
When small bubbles start appearing on the surface of the gravy, add the kasuri methi and combine well.
Now, go on and drop those lil beauties of koftas gently in the gravy and simmer for 3 to 4 mins.
Be very careful while doing this. Dont break the koftas.
Garnish with cream and cilantro.
Serve hot with rotis or rice or naan.
And i must say, this tasted delicious with the peas pulao that i served.

Note: You can also add cheese to the koftas for a richer kofta.
Some recipe versions suggest frying the koftas in an aebleskiver pan. That also works fine but dont do it without coating them in maida.
This is my entry to Radhika s event Lets Cook Mughalai and Vatsala s Potluck Party