Paneer Malai Kofta Curry – Recipe

By Aparupa Hazarika

Ingredients for the Paneer Malai koftas:

Malai Paneer -200 gms,

1 medium sized boiled potato,

2 tablespoon cornflour,

1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder,

1 teaspoon coriander powder,

1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder (we do not want the koftas to be too red)

2 finely chopped green chillies

Chopped cashew nuts and raisin for stuffing the koftas

Oil for frying the koftas

Salt to taste
Ingredients for the curry:

I big onion chopped and boiled (if its white onion need not boil it)

Tomato Puree Masala (2 medium sized tomatoes, 2 green chillies, 3-4 cardamoms boiled, grinded and sieved so that only the pulp remains)

1/2 cup cashew nut paste boiled for around 3-4 minutes and ground to a fine paste

I teaspoon garlic paste,

I tablespoon ginger paste,

I teaspoon coriander powder,

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

3-4 teaspoons powdered sugar

3 bay leaves

4-5 green cardamom pods

4 tablespoon fresh cream

1 big pinch cardamom powder

3 tablespoon Ghee

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt to taste

Preparation method:

Grate the paneer and the boiled potato, add the salt, cornflour powder, cardamom powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and chopped green chillies. Now knead all the ingredients till they become a soft doughwithout any lumps. Make small balls like ladoos, press in the middle and stuff the chopped cashew nuts and raisins into the koftas and give them their final round shapes. Finally dust them with cornflour powder. Keep the koftas aside. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the koftas. Do not forget to turn them from all sides in the oil so they fry evenly. When slightly brown (not too brown) we keep the koftas aside.

Now add 3 tablespoon ghee in a pan, add the bay leaves and cardamom pods and sauté for a while. Now add the ground, boiled onion paste and fry till golden brown. Then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a while. When the raw small is gone add the Tomato Puree masala and sauté till the mixture oozes oil. Now add the boiled cashew nut paste and sauté continuously. When the mixture becomes one big lump and starts oozing oil add 2 big cup water. When the gravy comes to a boil, add the salt (do not add salt over the cashew nut paste else it will split) and the powdered sugar. Cover with a lid and boil the gravy on medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Further reduce the gravy and before a couple of minutes add the fried koftas. Mix gently, add fresh cream and bring to a quick boil. And finally add the green cardamom powder and take the pan off the burner. Now garnish with a few chopped, coriander leaves. Your Paneer Malai Kofta Curry is ready. And this rich, scrumptious dish goes well with Kulchas or Veg Pulao.