Classic north Indian Malai Kofta recipe made with rich and creamy, tomato and onion based gravy (or curry). Serve with rice or roti/ naan for a delicious meal.
Authentic & restaurant style malai kofta recipe from a real Indian kitchen, this comforting north Indian speciality is perfect for an Indian cooking project. Made with the most basic pantry ingredients (of an Indian kitchen), this recipe makes the perfect mughlai style malai kofta that is so rich and creamy.
What is malai kofta?
Malai kofta is an Indian tomato and onion based gravy or curry served with koftas (dumplings) made of potatoes and paneer (Indian soft cheese). This version of malai kofta makes the red gravy, made using onions, tomatoes and basic pantry spices, but there are also versions out there which make gravies that are creamy, white in colour and made without tomatoes.
I love how you get a burst of flavours in every bite you take for malai kofta and I love how the tomato and onion based gravy is naturally rich and creamy without any cream. The secret ingredient: cashews. Adding cashews to your malai kofta gravy makes it so luscious and rich, giving it that shahi (rich) texture.
Is malai kofta vegan and vegetarian?
This recipe for malai kofta is vegetarian, but not vegan. You can make malai kofta vegan by skipping the paneer in the kofta and adding more potatoes. To make this recipe for malai kofta vegan, you will also have to skip the malai/ cream which we added in the end as garnish.
How to make malai kofta?
Start by preparing the koftas (dumplings) that are made of potatoes, paneer (Indian soft cheese) and filling them with some toasted cashews (and raisins if you like). Add some salt, pepper and chilli to the mixture for flavour + some rice flour and corn flour for binding.
Prepare kofta balls from this potato and paneer mixture and coat with corn flour. Transfer them to refrigerator and let cool for 30 minutes before deep frying until golden brown in colour.
Prepare the malai kofta gravy by sautéing onions, tomatoes and cashews in some oil. Transfer to blender and puree. Heat some cardamom, cumin (jeera) and chilli powder and then add the pureed onion tomato mix. Cook until the gravy has thickened and add the koftas right before serving.
Garnish with some cream or malai and chopped coriander. Serve with naan/ roti/ rice/ lemon coconut rice and coriander chutney & there you go, you have a delicious Indian, vegetarian, rich and creamy malai kofta ready.
More Indian recipe from the blog that you might love:
- sabudana vadas (tapioca fritters)
- beetroot kebabs
- hara bhara kebabs (spinach and peas fritters)
- sabudana khichdi
- vada pav
Malai Kofta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Description
Classic north Indian Malai Kofta recipe made with rich and creamy, tomato and onion based gravy (or curry). Serve with rice or roti/ naan for a delicious meal.
Ingredients
For the Koftas
- 350 grams potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)
- 150 grams paneer (crumbled)
- 4 tbsp rice flour
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- salt
- chilli powder
- 2 tbsp toasted cashews
- 1 tbsp raisins
- oil (for deep frying)
For the Gravy (Curry)
- 450 grams tomatoes (cut 1 by 8)
- 250 grams onions (chopped)
- 5 tbsp oil (divided (3 tbsp and 2 tbsp))
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp toasted cumin powder (see recipe note 1)
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- salt
- 2 tbsp malai or fresh cream (for garnish)
- chopped coriander (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large dish, add mashed potatoes, crumbled paneer, 1 tbsp corn flour, rice flour, salt, chilli powder. Mix well until a stiff dough is formed. Add more rice flour if needed.
- Prepare small balls and fill each with toasted cashews (chopped) and raisins. Seal and shape into koftas. Roll it through the remaining corn flour and place on a tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture and deep fry until golden brown.
- In a wok (kadhai) add 3 tbsp oil. Let heat on medium heat and add onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until they are lightly cooked. Add cashews and cook until they are lightly toasted. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes until they are fully cooked. Let this cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a blender to puree the onion, tomato and cashew mixture. Keep aside.
- In the same kadhai, add remaining oil, cardamom powder, toasted cumin powder and chilli powder. Add the pureed onion tomato mix and cook for a couple of minutes. Add salt and mix well.
- Once cooked, transfer to a serving dish and add the fried koftas right before serving. Add malai/ cream and chopped coriander. Serve with naan/ rice.
Notes
- To prepare the toasted cumin, simple dry roast the cumin seeds until fragrant. Crush in blender or with the help of mortar pastel.
I am making this recipe tomorrow but I am a little confused. The recipe calls for corn flour for the koftas. I am trying to figure out whether that means cornflour/cornstarch or corn flour. I did some research and they are quite different, with different results. Can you please clarify?
Yes you can use cornflour or cornstarch 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe.