Ingredients:

  • 3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cooled
  • 7 oz (200g) paneer, grated or finely crumbled
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch (or All-Purpose Flour)
  • 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp green chilli, finely minced
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste
  • Oil for deep frying
  • 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
  • 4 medium ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 mins
  • 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 Tbsp Oil or Ghee
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
  • 1 tsp Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves), crushed

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Kofta Base: Mash the boiled and cooled potatoes until completely smooth. Grate the paneer into a separate bowl.
  2. Mix Kofta Dough: Combine mashed potato, grated paneer, flours, minced ginger/chilli, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined; do not overwork.
  3. Shape and Fry: Roll the mixture into small, smooth balls (about 1.5 inches wide). Heat oil to medium-high (350°F/175°C) and fry the koftas in batches until evenly golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
  4. Sauté Aromatics: Heat ghee/oil in a pan. Sauté onions until softened and lightly golden. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for one minute until fragrant.
  5. Simmer Base: Add chopped tomatoes and a splash of water. Cook until tomatoes break down completely (about 8-10 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  6. Blend Cashew Paste: Drain the soaked cashews. Blend the cooled tomato-onion mixture along with the drained cashews and about 1/2 cup of water until perfectly smooth.
  7. Strain (Crucial Step): Pass the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing firmly to extract all liquid. Discard any solids left behind to ensure a smooth gravy.
  8. Temper Spices: Heat the strained puree gently. Add turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes until the oil starts to separate (bhunao).
  9. Simmer Gravy: Add the remaining water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
  10. Enrich and Finish: Stir in the heavy cream, crushed Kasuri Methi, and garam masala. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off the heat.
  11. Assemble: Gently place the fried Malai Kofta dumplings into the gravy just before serving. Garnish with fresh cream and cilantro.