MALAI KOFTA

 'Malai Kofta' - a typical North Indian favorite - is an elaborate dish - when you have ample time at your disposal (very rare, eh?) and are in a mood to experiment, try it out! I'm not giving you the preparation / cooking time as each one would work it out in their own pace - some would multitask, others would not!

Serves 4

Ingredients -

For Kofta -
Potato – 3 medium

Cheese – 20 - 30 gms – grated

Gram flour – 3 tbsp

Corn flour – 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Raisins – 12

Salt to taste

For gravy -

Onion – 3 medium-sized – chopped

Ginger- 1” chopped fine

Tomatoes – 2 medium-sized

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Asafetida – a pinch

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Coriander-cumin powder – 2 tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Fresh grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Green chillis – 2

Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Fresh curd – 2-3 tbsp

Fresh cream – 1 tbsp

Almond/cashews – 1 tbsp – soaked in hot water and blanched

Salt to taste

Sugar – 1 tsp

Milk – ½ cup

Oil – 2 tbsp

Kesar – a few strands (crushed)

Oil for frying

Method –

Kofta – 
Boil, peel and grate the potatoes. Grate paneer and mix with salt. Make balls with a raisin embedded inside.

Make a thin batter of gram flour and corn flour with salt and red chilli powder.

Dip the balls in the batter and fry in hot oil till golden brown.

Arrange the koftas in a serving dish.

Gravy - 
Heat a little oil in a kadhai.

Add cumin seeds. When they splutter, shake in a little asafetida followed by chopped onions and later ginger.

Fry till translucent. Cool and then grind in a mixer.

Cut each tomato into half. Boil in half a cup of water till soft. Cool, remove skin. Blend in a mixer.

Grind blanched almonds, coconut, green chillies, coriander, and curd.

Heat the remaining oil.

Add the onion paste and fry. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, and coriander-cumin and garam masala powders.

Add salt and sugar and fry for a minute.

Add tomato paste and fry till oil separates.

Add milk and water as per required consistency and taste.

Bring to a boil. Add saffron strands, and let it simmer.

Add whisked cream.

After 5 minutes, pour over the koftas.

Tastes good with chapathi, puri, and pulao.

Tips - 

If you are hard-pressed for time, you can prepare the masala gravy (till the step 'add tomato paste and fry till oil separates') and divide it in two portions - use one for 'matar paneer' and the other for 'malai kofta' 2-3 days later! Howzat?!

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.