Restaurant style malai kofta|delicious paneer kofta balls in red gravy

Malai kofta is a popular dish in north Indian region. Malai kofta is a creamy, rich, mild and lightly sweet onion tomato based gravy. Malai means heavy cream and kofta are fried dumpling balls. Usually they are made up of mashed potatoes and grated paneer. 

RESTAURANT STYLE MALAI KOFTA

There are two variations
Punjabi version: Today’s recipe is North Indian style where it has red gravy.
Mughalai version: It has mild, slightly sweet, aromatic white gravy.It is basically made of mawa, curd.

 

Tips to make soft  Malai Kofta

Strain the tomato onion gravy so that whole spices masala is sorted and gravy become smoother as well as rich.

Use homemade paneer in the kofta as homemade paneer enhances the taste much better.

Use corn flour, white flour(maida) or corn starch to bind the kofta balls as without corn flour or cornflour, kofta balls become too soft and mushy mixed with the gravy. 

I added have added 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and that was enough to just bind the koftas together.

Do not add too much cornstarch to the kofta.

For this malai kofta recipe, make sure the oil is hot before you drop the koftas in oil and fry koftas on medium high heat. 

More paneer gravy recipes as follow:

PALAK PANEER

PANEER MASALA

Recipe card for restaurant style malai kofta recipe:

RESTAURANT STYLE MALAI KOFTA     PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES            COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES  TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES CUSINE: NORTH INDIAN AUTHOR: SWATI RASOI SERVES: 4     INGREDIANTS For making kofta balls  2 to 3 Boiled and potato 100gm Paneer                                                                 4 to 5 finely chopped Cashews                                           7 Rasins                                                2 to3 tbsp Corn Starch/ Maida 4 to 5 crushed Green Cardamom 1 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1 tsp chopped green chilli                                      For base gravy 1 Cinnamon Stick 1 bay leaf 4 to 5 cloves 4 to 5 green cardamom 1 medium size onion 2 medium size tomato 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste 4 to 5 Cashews                                                         4 to 5 Almonds    A few strands Kasuri Methi                   1 tbsp Sugar (optional)                                                               Salt (according to taste)                                                                         1 tbsp Butter                    1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves                                               2  tbsp Cream                                                                   For serving a few sprigs Fresh coriander leaves                   1 tsp Fresh cream            Preparation for making kofta balls Curst it green cardamom and keep them aside. Add Grade potato, paneer, finely chopped coriander leaves,  chopped green chilli, green cardamom powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder and mixed it together and also add maida or corn starch or corn four or aerorot together. After mixing let us flattered a lit bit and at a centre add rasins and chopped cashews and gently filtered all together and roll it ball shape. Coat kofta with some corn starch and before frying let the kofta balls rest for 10min. Frying kofta balls  Heat up in a kadai or deep sauce pan on medium flame and add generous amount of oil and slowly added your kofta balls. Make sure don’t place lots of kofta together ,  keep only 3 or 4 at a time otherwise kofta breaks and tossing and frying over medium heat, until slightly golden and crisp. Preparation for base gravy Heat up pan and add oil. Now, add tej patta, cinnamon stick, cloves, crushed green cardamom and black pepper  Now, add roughly chopped onion and  ginger garlic paste and let it become light brown in color and covered with plate for  3 -4 mins for cooking. Now, add roughly chopped tomato and covered with lid Let it cool and then grind in a mixer to a smooth consistency. Add 2- 3 teaspoon of water to the mixture while grounding, if needed. Strain the tomato onion gravy so that whole spices masala is sorted and gravy become smoother as well as rich. Heat butter in a kadai or deep sauce pan on medium flame for 1-2 minutes. Add red chilli powder along with grounded paste and mix it well. Add some water so that gravy looks thinner and kofta absorbed gravy and add garam masala and kasuri methi and sauté for a minute.  Switch off the flame, add fresh cream to make gravy rich and creamy and mix well. Add kofta balls to the gravy and serve with naan, roti or rice.

How to make malai kofta with step by step photo

Preparation for making kofta balls

1. Crust it green cardamom and keep them aside.

2. Add graded potato,paneer, crushed green cardamon, finely chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chilli, green cardamom powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder and mixed it together and also add maida or corn starch or corn four or aerorot together.

3. After mixing let us flattered a lit bit and at a centre add rasins and chopped cashews and gently filtered all together and roll it ball shape

  
   






4. Coat kofta with some corn starch and before frying let the kofta balls rest for 10min.

Frying kofta balls

1. Heat up in a kadai or deep sauce pan on medium flame and add generous amount of oil and slowly added your kofta balls.

2. Make sure don’t place lots of kofta together ,  keep only 3 or 4 at a time otherwise kofta breaks and tossing and frying over medium heat, until slightly golden and crisp.

Preparation for base gravy

1. Heat up pan and add oil.

2. Now, add tej patta, cinnamon stick, cloves, crushed green cardamom and black pepper.

3. Now, add roughly chopped onion and  Ginger garlic paste and let it become light brown in color and covered with plate for  3 -4 mins for cooking.

4. Now, add roughly chopped tomato and covered with lid

5. Let it cool and then grind in a mixer to a smooth consistency. Add 2- 3 teaspoon of water to the mixture while grounding, if needed.

6. Strain the tomato onion gravy so that whole spices masala is sorted and gravy become smoother as well as rich.

7. Heat butter in a kadai or deep sauce pan on medium flame for 1-2 minutes.

8. Add red chilli powder along with grounded paste and mix it well.

9. Add some water so that gravy looks thinner and kofta absorbed gravy and add garam masala and kasuri methi and sauté for a minute.

10.Switch off the flame, add fresh cream and coriander leaves to make gravy rich and creamy and mix well.

11.Add kofta balls to the gravy and serve with naan, roti or rice.

Tips

1. Tips to make Restaurant Style Malai Kofta
2. Strain the tomato onion gravy so that whole spices masala is sorted and gravy become smoother as well as rich.
3. Use homemade paneer in the kofta as homemade paneer enhances the taste much better.
4. Use corn flour, white flour(maida) or corn starch to bind the kofta balls as without corn flour or cornflour, kofta balls become too soft and mushy mixed with the gravy. I added have added 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and that was enough to just bind the koftas together.
5. Do not add too much cornstarch to the kofta.
6. For this malai kofta recipe, make sure the oil is hot before you drop the koftas in oil and fry koftas on medium high heat.