Malai Kofta Recipe | Punjabi Malai Kofta Recipe

Malai kofta is a rich delicious gravy which is a obvious option if we feel like eating something to quench our taste buds.Its believed that this dish was originated from persia which was adopted by mughals when persians followed mughal emperor humayun to India. Mughals were great food lovers and they added extravagance in cooking.They have truly left a long lasting influence in India, Mughalai food occupies a commanding position in the popular cuisines of India. In the preparation of most of the Mughlai dishes, milk and cream is used liberally this is one such dish, its name clearly suggests it is a creamy dish. Most of the mughalai originated dishes also represents the cooking style prevailed in punjab and delhi before partition.

This dish has a elaborative process of cooking in two stages. First stage is to prepare the rich creamy gravy and second stage is to prepare the kofta itself.  Kofta was prepared using meat during the persian and mughals period, later it was adopted and same process was used to fuse different vegetables. Most popular combination is aloo and paneer, both has very soft texture which melts in mouth like butter.

Malai Kofta | Punjabi Malai Kofta Recipe Cuisine: Punjab |  Recipe Category: Gravy Prep Time:  20 minutes   |  Cook time: 30 minutes    |  Serves: 6-8 FOR GRAVY RED CHILLI POWDER – 1 TBLSPN GARAM MASALA – 1 TSP TURMERIC POWDER – 1/3 TSP GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TBLSPN OIL – AS REQUIRED TO GRIND TOMATO - 4 MEDIUM NOS ONION - 3 MEDIUM NOS CASHEWS - 20 NOS (SOAKED IN HOT WATER FOR 10 MINS) TO TEMPER BAY LEAF – 2 NOS GREEN CARDAMOM – 2 NOS CLOVES - 6 NOS CINNAMON - 2 NOS FOR KOFTA MASHED POTATOES – 3 MEDIUM GRATED PANEER – 300 GMS (EQUAL QUANTITY TO POTATO) BREAD CRUMBS – 1 TBLSPN CORN FLOUR/MAIDA (PLAIN FLOUR) – 1 TBLSPN GARAM MASALA – 1/2 TSP CARDAMOM POWDER - 1/2 TSP CHILLI POWDER - 1/2 TSP SALT - TO TASTE

 

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1.Prepare all the items required for gravy. Soak the cashews in hot water for 10 mins.I didnt get the medium size onion so i have taken one big onion and one medium.Chop the tomatoes and onion and keep them separately

2. Take tomato puree by grinding the tomatoes, make sure the tomatoes you select is not very sour ones.
Grind the onion and cashews in separately, if you dont have ginger garlic paste you can also grind them along with onion. If you prefer you can add 1 green chilli also along with it.

3. Heat a pan and add oil, add the items under TO TEMPER in it(Crush the green cardamom and add). Then add the onion paste and fry it until raw flavor goes.

4. Once the onion changes color add ginger garlic paste fry for another 3 mins and then  add grounded tomato puree and mix well. Cook it for 5 mins

5. Then add all the powders mentioned under GRAVY above fry it for 2 mins

6. Add water (about 1.5 cups) inside the mixture and allow it to boil until the oil separates from the mixture.

7. When oil separates from mixture it indicates all the ingredients are cooked well, now you can add the cream . Color of the gravy will change from red to bright orange. Then you can add the powdered/crushed kasthuri methi leaves about 1 TBLSPN.

Kofta preparation

1. Grate the paneer using grater and boil 3 medium size potato. Remove the skin of the potato. Take all the nuts that have you at home, this is required for stuffing the kofta

2. Take a bowl, mash all the potato, add the grated paneer to it . Add all the dry powders, flour mentioned under kofta and mix everything well and make it like a dough. Make a round ball, flatten it and stuff the chopped nut and make either a round ball or cylinder.

3.Heat oil in a pan, add the kofta and fry all the side until it turns golden brown

4.Transfer it to serving bowl add kofthas only before serving


Note:

• Select tomato which is less sour in taste, but if you are not sure how your tomatoes will taste add it. If you find it sour after adding, dont worry add a TSP of sugar to take out the sour taste. This sweet and sour taste along with cream will taste very nice
• If you add dehi mirch or kashmiri chilli powder it will give nice red color to the gravy. 
• If you have fresh ginger garlic it, can be grinded along with cashewnut onion paste 
• Crush the green cardamom before adding which will release its flavors in the gravy and this goes well with the cream
• If you dont have cream at home, dont worry you can boil full fat milk until it reduces to 1/4th,cool it for 20 mins and  grind it in mixy so that you get smooth paste. If you dont have time for this lengthy process you can simply add milk after tomato is added.Creamy texture is very important to this gravy so this is very much required.
• If you dont have any any nuts or you dotn like stuffing nuts you can ignore that step and proceed.
• If the kofta mixture has more moisture  and if you are not able to make balls or if it breaks while frying add more flour until you get correct consistency
• Add the koftas only while serving otherwise it will get dissolved in gravy.