Malai kofta, a vegetarian recipe from India

Name: Malai kofta
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 300 g boiled potatoes; 200 g grated paneer; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tsp salt; Oil for deep-frying; 2 tbsp oil; 1 onion; 1 tbsp grated ginger; 2 garlic cloves; 3 tomatoes; 50 g cashews; 1 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp garam masala; 100 ml cream; 1 tsp sugar

Method

Mash the potatoes and mix with the paneer, cornstarch and half the salt. Shape into 12 smooth balls.
Deep-fry them at 175 °C for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Drain.
For the sauce, cook the chopped onion in 2 tbsp oil for 8 minutes, then the ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes, the cashews and the chili powder. Cook for 10 minutes, then blend very smooth with a little water.
Return the sauce to the heat with the garam masala, the rest of the salt and the sugar. Simmer 5 minutes and stir in the cream.
Set the koftas in the plates, pour the hot sauce over and serve at once with rice or naan.

Malai kofta is a festive dish of northern India: malai means cream, kofta a dumpling. It is the vegetarian branch of a family of dishes that Mughal cooking also made with meat.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.
Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my koftas fall apart in the oil?

The mixture was too wet. Mash well-drained, cooled potatoes, and add a spoonful of cornstarch if the ball will not hold. Fry one test kofta before the whole batch.

When should the koftas go into the sauce?

At the very last moment, or even on the plate with the sauce poured over. Left to simmer, they drink the sauce and crumble.

Can I replace the paneer?

Well-drained ricotta gives a close, slightly softer texture. Crumbled firm tofu also works, with an extra pinch of salt.

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Malai kofta

Method

The techniques this recipe uses

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Nutrition per serving

Frequently asked questions

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