Malai kofta recipe – A popular North Indian side dish for roti/naan – Deep fried potato, paneer balls served with a creamy onion-tomato-based gravy. Restaurant-style malai kofta recipe with step-by-step pictures.

Malai kofta is a very rich and popular gravy recipe. Usually, we order this when we go to restaurants. It is not difficult to make at home, but it is a little time-consuming and also high in calories. So once in a while when we go to restaurants we order malai koftas. I wanted to try this at home and blog about the recipe. Finally, I tried it and it turned out exceptionally well.

The taste was very similar to the ones which we have at the restaurant. Some people have doubts as to why the koftas break in the gravy.

The reason is if the kofta mixture is very moist, it will loosen up and break either frying or after adding in hot gravy. So ensure the potato and paneer are moist free and if needed add an extra 1 tbsp of corn flour or plain flour to the mixture before frying it.

If you want to skip the deep-fried version of malai kofta, you can cook the kofta balls in appe pan as I did for cabbage kofta.

Check out

  • Low fat cabbage kofta

  • Palak kofta masala

  • Lauki kofta recipe

  • Raw banana kofta

  • Gulab jamun mix kofta curry

  • Let’s make the koftas first.

  • In a wide bowl add the boiled and grated potato and add the scrambled paneer

  • Add the red chili powder, salt, 2 tbsp broken cashew nuts, red chili powder, chopped coriander leaves, and corn flour.

malai kofta recipe - 1
  • Mix everything well. Do not add any water.
  • It will come like dough.
malai kofta recipe - 2
  • Grease your hands with little oil and add make equal lemon-sized balls.
malai-kofta recipe - 3
  • Deep fry in oil till golden brown.
  • Take out and drain the excess oil in kitchen towel.
malai kofta recipe - 4
  • Let’s make the kofta gravy.
  • In a pan add 3 tsp oil add the bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves and add the chopped onion, ginger, and garlic cloves.
  • Saute this for 2-3 minutes till the onions become translucent.
malai kofta recipe - 5
  • Now add the chopped tomatoes.
  • Cook for 2 minutes.
malai kofta recipe - 6
  • Add ½ cup of water and cover the pan.
  • Let this cook for 2-3 minutes.
Malai-kofta-recipe - 7
  • Once done, discard the bay leaf and allow this to cool.
  • Grind this into a fine paste.
  • In a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala.
malai kofta recipe - 8
  • Saute this for a few seconds and add sieve the ground puree and add 1 cup of water.
  • Add salt.
malai kofta recipe - 9
  • Let this boil for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the fresh cream to this.
malai kofta recipe - 10
  • Mix well and add crushed kasoori methi.
  • Switch off the flame.
malai-kofta recipe - 11
  • Just before serving add the koftas.
  • Place the koftas on a bowl and pour the hot gravy on this.
  • You can drizzle little cream on the top.
  • Malai kofta is ready to serve.
malai kofta recipe - 12
  • Serve with naan, roti, or jeera rice.

Notes:

  1. Alternatively, you can make the koftas in the appe pan to avoid deep frying.
  2. Instead of adding fresh cream you can mix 2 tbsp of scrambled paneer with 1/2 cup of full cream milk in a mixer, and use it. This gives an amazing taste and texture.
  3. These malai koftas stayed in the gravy for 4 hours.
  4. Malai kofta pairs well with roti, jeera rice, naan, and kulcha.
malai kofta recipe - 13

Malai kofta recipe

Ingredients

For the gravy

  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 cardamom
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tomato
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 small piece of ginger
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • ½ tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp kasoori methi
  • 1 and ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup fresh cream
  • 3 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
  • Salt as needed

For the Kofta – Makes 10 koftas

  • 2 cups grated boiled potato
  • 1 cup grated paneer
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 2 tbsp broken cashew nuts
  • Salt as needed
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 2 tbsp corn flour or maida
  • Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Let’s make the koftas first.

  • In a wide bowl add the boiled and grated potato and add the scrambled paneer
  • Add the red chili powder, salt, 2 tbsp broken cashew nuts, red chili powder, chopped coriander leaves, and corn flour.
  • Mix everything well. Do not add any water.
  • It will come like dough.
  • Grease your hands with little oil and add make equal lemon-sized balls.
  • Deep fry in oil till golden brown.
  • Take out and drain the excess oil with a kitchen towel.

Let’s make the kofta gravy.

  • In a pan add 3 tsp oil add the bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves and add the chopped onion, ginger, and garlic cloves.
  • Saute this for 2-3 minutes till the onions become translucent.
  • Now add the chopped tomatoes.
  • Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add ½ cup of water and cover the pan.
  • Let this cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Once done, discard the bay leaf and allow this to cool.
  • Grind this into a fine paste.
  • In a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala.
  • Saute this for a few seconds and add sieve the ground puree and add 1 cup of water.
  • Add salt.
  • Let this boil for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the fresh cream to this.
  • Mix well and add crushed kasoori methi.
  • Switch off the flame.
  • Just before serving add the koftas.
  • Place the koftas in a bowl and pour the hot gravy on this.
  • You can drizzle little cream on the top.
  • Malai kofta is ready to serve.
  • Serve with naan, roti, or jeera rice.

Notes