Malai Kofta

Before You Start

Test one kofta first. If it breaks up in the oil, work another tablespoon of cornflour into the mixture.

Sieving the gravy is what gives the restaurant-smooth texture. It takes two minutes and is worth it.

Keep the koftas out of the sauce until the moment you serve, or they will collapse.

How to Make Malai Kofta

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1. Squeeze the grated potato in a cloth to remove as much water as possible — wet potato makes koftas that burst.

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2. Combine the paneer, potato, cornflour, cashews, raisins, chilli, garam masala, salt and coriander and knead for 2 minutes to a smooth, pliable mixture.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

3. Roll into 12 balls, pressing each firmly so there are no cracks. Chill 20 minutes.

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4. Heat the oil to 170°C / 340°F and fry the koftas in batches of four for 4 minutes, turning gently, until deep gold. Drain on a rack and set aside.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

5. For the gravy, boil the onions, tomatoes and drained cashews in 300 ml water for 12 minutes, then blend to a completely smooth purée and pass through a sieve.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

6. Heat the ghee, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry 2 minutes, then the chilli powder, ground coriander and turmeric for 30 seconds.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

7. Pour in the purée — carefully, it will spit — and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and the ghee separates at the edges.

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8. Stir in the cream, sugar, salt, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi and simmer 3 minutes more.

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9. Pour the hot gravy into a serving dish, set the koftas on top just before serving, and garnish with cream and coriander.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Why the Method Works

Cornflour rather than gram flour binds the koftas, because it sets into a crisp shell that keeps the dumpling from dissolving in the hot oil. The koftas go into the gravy at the table, not in the pan — sitting in sauce for even ten minutes turns them from firm to sodden.

After You've Cooked It

Store koftas and gravy separately for up to 3 days. Re-crisp the koftas at 200°C / 390°F for 6 minutes and reheat the gravy gently.

If You're Missing Something

• In a sauce, full-fat crème fraîche can usually take the place of the double cream; single cream is thinner and more likely to split if it boils, so keep it below a simmer.
• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the green chilli. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.

What to Serve Alongside

• Naan or laccha paratha
• Jeera rice
• A sweet lassi

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Chapati (Roti), Gluten-Free Naan, Idiyappam.

Still Wondering?

What's in a Serving

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (how much frying oil the food takes up cannot be known from the recipe). Why some recipes have none.

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