Mughlai Malai Kofta Curry

Know What U Eat: Malai Kofta- A very well known mughlai dish.Mughlai food is characterized by rich and creamy curry which have a distinct aroma and taste of ground and whole spices. This Super soft raisin stuffed cottage cheese dumplings in a rich creamy tomato gravy, a main course dish paired along with crispy roti/ nan, basmati rice with some salad. Some gravies especially mughlai dishes like these are meant to be made in its traditional way to really enjoy it. I have given down two different methods : low fat version by baking kofta's in oven, also the original version of deep frying them, and cooking it in heavy cream.

Cooking Time : 45 mins

Servings : 4

4 - 5 Medium Potatoes, boiled-peeled-grated

2 Thai Green chillies, finely chopped

1/2 C Paneer (cottage cheese), grated

1/2 C Carrot & Peas, partially boiled & squeezed to remove excess water

1/4 C Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 C Cornflour/ corn starch 

1/4 C Golden Raisins + Chopped Cashew

Salt to taste

Oil for Deep Fry / Spray to bake,

3 medium Onions,

1 C Tomato puree

1/4 C Paneer, grated

1 Tbsp, Ginger paste

1 Tbsp, Garlic Paste

2 Green Chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp .Cmin powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Shah Jeera

1 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 C Fresh Cream / Half & Half

2 % Milk, as needed

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar to taste

Oil 3 tablespoons

1.  Boil the potatoes, cool, peel and grate them. 

2.  Grate paneer. 

3. Wash all green chillies, deseed and chop them fine. 

4.  Peel carrots,grate them, add peas and some water, boil them in microwave for 10 mins. Once done, remove excess by passing & squeezing it through a muslin cloth.

5. Peel onions, cut them into halves and boil with a cup of water for ten minutes. Drain excess water, cool onions and grind them into a smooth paste. Set Aside.

6. In a bowl, mix mashed potatoes, paneer, some chopped green chillies, boiled carrot-peas, corn flour and salt. Mix well. Divide into 20-22 equal sized balls. Stuff  raisins & cashew into them. Deep fry in hot oil until slightly golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Fry one kofta and check for binding, if it breaks, add a little more cornflour. Deep fry in hot oil.

OR BAKE in a 375F pre-heat oven, by arranging & spraying oil on these koftas placing them on a cookie sheet wraped with aluminum foil,for 10 mins. Keep a close watch, with the help of tongs, turn them once they are slight brown on one side.

7. On the other side heat oil in a kadai, add shahjeera, boiled onion paste and cook for five minutes. Add ginger & garlic, few chopped green chillies, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook for a minute.

8. Add tomato puree and red chilli powder and cook on medium flame untill oil separates from gravy. 

9. Add half&half along with some water & bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes on a slow flame. Stir occasionally. 

10. Stir in fresh cream and garam masala powder. 

11. Gently put all of these kofta's in the gravy when ready to serve. Simmer for another 2 mins and enjoy this rich, creamy gravy with Nan/Roti (Indian Flat Bread.)