Aloo kofta recipe with step by step photos – potato cheese patties or balls or koftas as we call them served on a bed of rich creamy spiced gravy.
First time I had potato kofta curry at a friend’s place many many years back. The curry was made by her mom. The gravy was a tomato based one and the koftas had potatoes and paneer in them. It was the simplest kofta curry I have had till date and very homely. One of the best kofta curry of which the taste still lingers.
I make aloo kofta curry occasionally for a weekend lunch. For the kofta, i keep a simple stuffing and use minimal spices. Here the gravy is not a simple homely one, but slightly rich and restaurant style. It tastes more like a makhani gravy.
Koftas are deep fried balls which can be made from minced meat, veggies or paneer or cheese. Few such popular kofta recipes on blog are:
In this recipe, the kofta are made from potatoes and grated cheese. I have shallow fried the kofta instead of deep frying and shaped them in patties or tikki.
This aloo kofta gravy is good for small get-togethers or parties or weekend lunch or dinners. The recipe can be easily doubled. Serve aloo kofta with rotis, naan or jeera rice.
How to make aloo kofta
Prepping:
1. First boil or steam 2 large potatoes (250 grams) till they are thoroughly cooked. Allow them to become warm.
2. In another pan or bowl, heat water till it boils. Then add 2 large tomatoes (200 grams), 1 large onion (100 grams) and 15 almonds. You can heat the water in a pan, electric heater or microwave. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes. Instead of almonds, you can also use 14 to 15 cashews.
3. Roughly chop the onions, tomatoes and add to the grinder and blender. Also peel the almonds and add them to the grinder.
4. Grind to a smooth paste. Cover and keep aside. No need to add any water while grinding to a paste.
Preparing aloo kofta
1. When the potatoes, become warm, peel them. Mash very well with a potato masher.
2. Grate 20 grams cheese. You should get ¼ cup grated cheese. Here I used processed cheese. You can also use paneer.
3. Now add the grated cheese, 1.5 tbsp corn starch, salt and ½ tsp crushed black pepper to the mashed potatoes. Instead of black pepper, you can add chopped green chilies or red chili powder in the koftas.
4. Mix very well.
5. Make medium sized balls from the kofta mixture and flatten them slightly.
Frying aloo kofta
6. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a tawa or griddle. First place a small portion of the mixture to check if it breaks or not.
7. If the tiny kofta does not break, then you can safely place the koftas in the hot oil. If breaking, then add more corn starch (½ tbsp to 1 tbsp more) to bind the mixture. If you use grated paneer, then again you will need to add more corn starch, then what is mentioned in the recipe, as paneer leaves moisture.
8. Turn over when one side gets golden.
9. Fry the other side of aloo kofta and flip again once or twice to get an even golden color. You can also deep fry the koftas instead of shallow frying.
10. Place the aloo kofta which are done on kitchen paper towels. Continue frying the ones which are not done. Keep the koftas aside.
Making aloo kofta gravy
1. Take the same oil in which the koftas were fried in a pan or kadai. You can also take 2 tbsp fresh oil. Add ½ cumin seeds and 2 small tej patta or 1 medium to large tej patta (Indian bay leaf).
2. Add the ground tomato-onion-almond paste.
3. Stir very well.
4. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Stir.
5. Then add the spice powders – ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or deghi mirch and 1 tsp coriander powder.
6. Stir and saute till the mixture thickens and you see oil specks releasing from the sides and top of the mixture.
7. Add water.
8. Stir very well bring the gravy to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Add salt.
10. Add sugar.
11. Stir and then add 3 tbsp cream, ¼ tsp garam masala powder and ½ tsp crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Add ¼ tsp garam masala powder, if homemade. If store brought than you can add ½ tsp garam masala powder.
12. Stir very and switch off the stove top. Don’t add the koftas directly to the gravy in the pan. As the koftas will break since these are light and soft textured potato koftas.
Pour the gravy in a serving plate or bowl. place the aloo kofta on top of the gravy. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Serve aloo kofta With Indian flatbread like naan or paratha or Malabar parotta or roti or with rice-based dish like cumin rice or veg pulao.
More Potato recipes
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Aloo Kofta
Ingredients
for making aloo kofta
- 250 grams potatoes or 2 large potatoes or 3 medium potatoes or 1.25 cups tightly packed mashed potatoes
- 20 grams processed cheese or ¼ cup grated cheese substitute paneer instead of cheese
- 1.5 to 2 tablespoon corn starch (substitutes are bread crumbs or rice flour - add accordingly.)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - crushed
- salt as required
- 4 to 5 tablespoon oil for shallow frying koftas
for aloo kofta gravy
- 100 grams onion or 1 large onion or 2 medium onion - quartered
- 200 grams tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes or 3 medium tomatoes
- 15 almonds or 14-15 cashews
- 2 small tej patta (indian bay leaf) or 1 medium to large tej patta
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or ½ inch ginger and 3 to 4 garlic - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or deghi mirch
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
(ground coriander)
- 1 to 1.25 cups water
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - crushed
- 3 tablespoon low fat cream or 2 tablespoon whipping cream
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
- salt as required
Instructions
preparation for aloo kofta
- First boil or steam 2 large potatoes (250 grams) till they are thoroughly cooked. Allow them to become warm.
- In another pan or bowl, heat water till it boils and add 2 large tomatoes (200 grams), 1 large onion (100 grams) and 15 almonds.
- You can heat the water in a pan, electric heater or microwave. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
- Roughly chop the onions, tomatoes and add to the grinder and blender. Also peel the almonds and add to the grinder. Instead of almonds, you can use cashews.
- Grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
making aloo kofta
- When the potatoes, become warm, peel them. Mash very well with a potato masher.
- Grate 20 grams cheese. You should get 1/4 cup grated cheese. Here I used processed cheese. You can also use paneer.
- Now add the grated cheese, 1.5 tbsp corn starch, salt and 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper to the mashed potatoes.
- Instead of black pepper, you can add chopped green chilies or red chili powder in the koftas. Mix very well.
- Shape in medium sized patties.
frying aloo kofta
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in a tawa or griddle. First place a small portion of the mixture to check if it breaks or not.
- If the tiny kofta does not break, then you can safely place the koftas in the hot oil.
- If breaking, then add more corn starch to bind the mixture. If you use grated paneer, then you will need to add more corn starch as paneer will leave moisture.
- Turn over when one side gets golden.
- Fry the other side and flip again to get an even golden color. You can also deep fry aloo koftas instead of shallow frying.
- Place the aloo koftas which are done on kitchen paper towels. Continue frying the ones which are not done. Keep the koftas aside.
making aloo kofta gravy
- Take the same oil in which the koftas were fried in a pan or kadai. You can also take 2 tbsp fresh oil. Add 1/2 cumin seeds and 2 small tej patta or 1 medium to large tej patta.
- Add the ground tomato-onion-almond paste.
- Stir very well. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Stir.
- Then add the spice powders - 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder or deghi mirch, 1 tsp coriander powder.
- Stir and saute till the mixture thickens and you see oil specks releasing from the sides and top of the mixture.
- Add water. Stir very well bring the aloo kofta gravy to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add salt. Add sugar.
- Stir and then add 3 tbsp cream, 1/4 tsp garam masala powder and 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, crushed. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder if homemade. If store brought than you can add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder.
- Stir very and switch off the stove top.
- Pour the gravy in a serving plate or bowl. Place the aloo kofta on the gravy.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve aloo kofta with rotis, naan or jeera rice.
Very nice recipe. Tried it and my family loved it.
can we skip the chess or we can use any other ingredient instead of chess
you can skip the cheese. no need to add anything instead of cheese.
Very tasty recipe. Quantities mentioned gave my recipe a perfect taste. My family kept licking fingers whenever i made it. Thanku 4 d recipe.
Welcome Laxmi. Glad to know this.
Made this aloo kofta curry yesterday.Was a great big hit with my husband and daughter.They just loved it.Another lovely recipe which will be made time and again.Thank you once again for another tasty and delicious recipe.So grateful to you for sharing these recipes with all of us.
Welcome Shernaz. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback on recipes.