Malai Kofta Recipe (Restaurant Style Paneer Kofta)
Malai Kofta is a delicious dish of fried balls of potato and paneer in a rich and creamy mild gravy made with sweet onions and tomatoes. This melt-in-your-mouth recipe is a labor of love, but one that is well worth it. Learn to make this special Indian meal with me! I’ll show you how with step-by-step photos and video.
What is Malai Kofta
‘Malai’ means cream and ‘Kofta’ are fried balls of various ingredients, popular not only in Indian cuisine, but also in Middle Eastern, Balkan and Asian meals as well.
As an Indian and a vegetarian, the most common types of kofta that I have encountered are made with potatoes and mixed veg. That said, other koftas often includes various meats and can be thought of as similar to Italian meatballs or Middle Eastern kebabs.
Malai kofta is one of the most sought-after Indian dishes in restaurants around the world, and for good reason. The dish requires a lot of effort to make, but in the end, it is all worth it. In this delicious restaurant style malai kofta recipe, the kofta are made with paneer and potatoes.
Crisp on the outside and heavenly smooth on the inside, these tasty fried dumplings are dunked in a smooth, mildly sweet and lighted spiced curry. The combination of the kofta with the curry tastes awesome. You’ll just have to try it to find out!
Why This Recipe Works
There are many variations of malai kofta recipes. This, however, is one of the best malai paneer kofta you can make at home. Trust me when I say: this recipe is for keeps.
In this recipe, the curry gravy is made from ground cashew paste, onion paste and tomato puree. The cashew paste makes the curry rich and creamy. I also add some cream for a luxurious taste as many times this dish is made for special occasions or parties. But you can skip the cream if you want.
The kofta themselves are incredibly tender with a consistency that is nothing short of exquisite. Crispy golden brown on the outside, with a scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth inside, these dumplings are nothing short of a gift.
While this recipe makes about 7 to 8 paneer kofta, with the curry it is more than enough to feed 3 to 4 people. Let me tell you that Malai kofta is a rich and heavy meal, so 1 – 2 kofta should be enough per serving.
I don’t know about you, but all this talk about paneer kofta is making me HUNGRY! Let’s get to cooking, shall we?
How to Make Malai Kofta
The prep work is time intensive, so plan ahead before making the recipe. You need to make the gravy base and the kofta.
For the gravy you need onion paste, cashew paste and tomato paste. Cashew paste and tomato purée can be prepped ahead and refrigerated for a day.
You can choose to make and shape the kofta mixture a day before and refrigerate them to ease your work. This is what I do on occasions. So next day you will only need to fry the kofta and make the gravy.
Prepare Paneer Kofta
1. First boil 2 medium to large potatoes (200 grams) in a pan, Instant pot or a pressure cooker until fork tender or knife tender. Here I have boiled the potatoes in a pressure cooker covering them with water for 4 to 5 whistles on medium heat.
2. When the potatoes become warm or cool, peel them and grate them in a bowl. Use a box grater or a hand-held grater.
3. Add the following listed ingredients to the mashed potatoes:
- 100 grams grated paneer or 1 cup grated paneer
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper or paprika)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- salt as required
4. Next add in 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) or tapioca starch and 3 tablespoons almond flour or fine almond meal.
TIP: Nut free? Don’t worry! Instead of almond flour, you can use 2 tablespoons milk powder OR 3 tablespoons khoya (mawa or dried evaporated milk solids).
5. Mix really well, until the mixture is uniform and form a neat dough. Cover and set aside.
Fill and Shape Paneer Kofta
6. Meanwhile rinse if you prefer and finely chop 10 to 12 cashews and 1 tablespoon raisins. Set aside. This will be the sweet-tangy and crunchy stuffing for the kofta.
If you are not a fan of cashews or raisins, choose to skip the stuffing or use your favorite nuts.
7. Portion the kofta mixture and shape into medium sized balls.
8. Take one kofta ball and flatten it with your palms. Place a small portion of the cashews and raisins stuffing on flattened kofta dough. If it feels sticky, rub some oil on your palms before stuffing and shaping the kofta.
9. Bring the edges together and shape into a neat ball. Ensure that the stuffing remains in the center.
10. Stuff and shape all the paneer kofta balls. Cover with a lid and set aside at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare Paneer Kofta Gravy Elements
11. Now prepare each the cashew paste, onion paste and tomato purée. Set aside. For this step, I always use the Magic Bullet because unlike a blender or chutney grinder, it is quick and very easy to clean.
- For onion paste – Roughly chop 2 medium to large onions. Measure and you should get about 1 cup heaped chopped onions. Add in a blender. Without adding any water blend to a fine consistency. If you have difficulty blending them, then add in a few tablespoons of water. Transfer the onion paste or onion puree to another bowl and set aside.
- For cashew paste – Soak 12 to 15 tablespoons of cashews in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the water, add the soaked cashews in the same blender with 2 to 3 tablespoons water or as needed to make a thick or medium-thick fine paste. Set aside. If you measure, you will get about 6 to 7 tablespoons of cashew paste. Remove it from the blender in a bowl and set aside.
- For tomato puree – Chop 2 medium to large tomatoes. Ensure to include tomatoes that have a sweet-tangy taste and not very sour. Add them in the same blender and blend to a fine puree. When you measure the puree, it should be 1 cup. I recommend measuring the puree before you begin cooking so that there is a balance in the flavors. If using packaged tomato puree, add 1 cup of it.
Make Gravy
12. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a thick-bottomed or heavy frying pan or in a wok (kadai). Add the following whole spices and fry them for a few seconds or till they release their aroma in the oil.
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 single mace strands
- 2 cloves
13. Add the prepared onion paste. Keep in mind that sautéing onion paste takes more time. Add a few pinches of salt to make it get cooking faster.
14. Stirring often sauté onion paste on a low to medium-low heat.
15. After 9 to 10 minutes on a low to medium-low heat, the onion paste will become light golden, get cooked and leave the sides of the pan.
As you continue to sauté, It will become lumpy, start gathering around itself and gradually become golden. Stir non-stop so that the paste cooks evenly.
While sautéing onions if they start sticking onto the pan, add a few splashes of water. Mix and deglaze removing the stuck onion paste particles from the pan. Continue to sauté.
16. Continue to sauté further for 5 to 6 minutes or until it gets browned.
17. When onion paste has become golden add 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste. Mix and sauté for about 10 seconds or until raw aroma of ginger, garlic goes away.
18. Add the tomato purée.
19. Mix and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat.
20. Now add the following ground spices:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel powder – optional
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or paprika (or ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne)
21. Mix well and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
22. Add the cashew paste.
23. Mix and sauté till the oil starts to leave the side of the masala paste. This will take about 9 to 10 minutes on low to medium-low heat. The paste will become lumpy and gather around itself. It will also become slightly glossy and you will see some oil releasing from the sides.
24. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar and salt according to taste.
25. Add 2 cups of water. Combine water thoroughly with the sautéed masala paste with a spoon or wired whisk.
26. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes on low to medium-low heat or until the gravy becomes thick and creamy enough. You should also see some oil specks on the top layer of the gravy.
Malai kofta gravy is usually smooth, creamy and slightly thick. You can keep it slightly medium-thick consistency, the way I have done.
27. Add 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and 2 tablespoons light cream or cooking cream. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves in your palms and add. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more.
You can also use 1 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream instead of light cream.
28. Mix well and switch off the heat. Check the taste of the curry and add sugar or salt if needed.
Fry Paneer Kofta
29. Before shaping and frying the entire batch, check a small tiny piece of the paneer kofta in hot oil. If it does not break or fall apart, then you can easily fry the remaining koftas.
If it does break, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornflour (cornstarch) as a binder. Mix the binder in well, then shape into koftas.
As soon as you add this small piece of kofta, it should come up gradually and swiftly on top of the oil. This means that the oil is hot enough for the kofta to be fried.
If the kofta ball remains at the bottom or comes up slowly, the oil is warm. This will make your kofta absorb a lot of oil and they may fall apart in the oil.
If it comes up too quickly and gets browned or burnt, the oil is very hot. A highly hot oil will cook the kofta from outside but the insides will be raw or undercooked.
30. Heat oil in a pan until it reaches 180 to 190 degrees Celsius (356 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit).
Note: You can shallow fry or deep fry the kofta as you like. Here I have deep-fried, but on occasions, I flatten the kofta to a patty/tikki shape and shallow fry.
Carefully add the paneer kofta to the hot oil, being careful not to spatter the oil.
31. When one side becomes golden, gently turn over with a slotted spoon and fry the second side. Fry turning over a couple of times until golden on both sides.
32. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Working in batches, fry all the paneer kofta this way and drain them on a paper napkin so that the extra oil is absorbed.
Serve Malai Kofta
33. To serve, add the fried kofta to the malai gravy. Now you have the option of adding the kofta to the gravy in the pan and serving immediately. Or assemble in a serving bowl to make these look good and then serve.
If planning to serve it separately, then take the hot gravy in a serving bowl.
TIP: If serving malai kofta later, you can prepare the gravy and the kofta and refrigerate them separately. Only combine while serving. Heat the gravy in a pan until it is hot. If the gravy looks very thick, add a bit of hot water. Warm the kofta in a preheated oven for some minutes at 120 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit).
These paneer koftas are really soft, so if you add them to the gravy while storing, they will break and fall apart. So only add them to the gravy when you are about to serve.
34. Gently place the paneer kofta on the gravy. Pour a drizzle of cream or top with grated paneer.
35. Garnish malai kofta with coriander leaves or mint leaves and serve with roti, naan or jeera rice, saffron rice or paratha or rumali roti.
FAQs
What can I substitute for the cashews in the sauce?
You can also use soaked almonds instead! If you are nut free, you can opt to use a little bit more cream in the recipe.
While making the kofta, Instead of almond flour, use 2 tablespoons milk powder OR 3 tablespoons khoya (mawa or dried evaporated milk solids).
What is the best type of paneer to use for this recipe?
To make any paneer dish, it is always better to use homemade paneer.
What is the best way to serve malai kofta?
Malai kofta is best served with roti, paratha, naan or roomali roti. I also love serving it with phulka. If you are avoiding gluten, plain steamed basmati rice or jeera rice goes well with it.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Malai Kofta Recipe (Restaurant Style Paneer Kofta)
Ingredients
For kofta
- 100 grams Paneer or 1 cup grated paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- 2 potatoes – medium to large – 200 grams, boiled, peeled and grated
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) or tapioca starch
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 3 tablespoons almond flour or 2 tablespoons milk powder or 3 tablespoons khoya (mawa or dried evaporated milk solids)
- salt as required
- oil for deep frying, as required, any high smoke point neutral oil
For stuffing kofta – optional
- 10 to 12 cashews
- 1 tablespoon raisins
For gravy
- 3 tablespoons oil – any neutral oil
- ½ cup onion paste or about 2 medium to large onions or 1 heaped cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste or 1 inch ginger, 4 to 5 garlic cloves crushed in a mortar
- 1 cup Tomato Puree or about 2 medium to large tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel powder – optional
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder or ½ tsp cayenne or red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 6 to 7 tablespoons cashew paste – 12 to 15 cashews soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and blended to a smooth paste with 2 to 3 tbsp water
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or as required
- salt as required
- 2 cups water or add as required
- 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 2 tablespoons light cream or cooking cream or 1 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream – optional
Whole spices
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom – optional
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 single strands of mace or a light pinch of ground mace powder
- 2 cloves
For garnish
- 1 to 2 tablespoons grated paneer (cottage cheese) – optional
- 1 or 2 tablespoons light cream or whipping cream – optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) or some mint leaves sprigs
Instructions
Making paneer kofta
- Mix all the ingredients mentioned under “For making paneer kofta” ingredient list except oil in a bowl.
- Rinse with water if you prefer and finely chop 10 to 12 cashews and 1 tablespoon raisins. Set aside. This will be the sweet-tangy and crunchy stuffing for the kofta.
- Make medium sized balls from the kofta mixture. If it feels sticky, rub some oil on your palms before shaping the kofta.
- Flatten one kofta ball lightly with your palms on a chopping board or a rolling board. Place a small portion of the cashews and raisins stuffing on it.
- Gently bringing the edges together, shape into a neat ball. Rub some oil in your palms while shaping. Make sure that the stuffing remains in the center of the kofta.
- Fill and shape all the kofta in this manner.
- Cover with a lid and set aside at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Making kofta gravy
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed or heavy pan or skillet.
- Add all the whole spices and fry for a few seconds or until the spices crackle and the oil becomes fragrant.
- First add the onion paste. Stirring often sauté the onion paste until it becomes golden. To quicken the cooking of onions, add a few pinches of salt when you begin to sauté the paste.
- When the onion paste has become golden, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for about ten seconds or until the raw aroma of the ginger and garlic goes away.
- Add the tomato puree and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium-low heat.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala powder.
- Mix well and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add cashew paste. Mix well and sauté until the oil starts to leave the side of the masala paste.
- This sautéing takes about 9 to 10 minutes on low to medium-low heat. You will see that the paste becomes lumpy and gathers around itself. It will also become slightly glossy with some oil releasing at the sides.
- Then add sugar and salt as per taste.
- Add water. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or wired whisk.
- Simmer until the gravy begins to thicken. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes on a low to medium-low heat. The consistency of the gravy can be medium-thick to thick. When the gravy is cooked through, you will some oil specks on the top of the gravy.
- Lastly add the crushed dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) and cream.
- Mix well and set the gravy aside. Check the taste and add more salt or sugar if needed.
Frying paneer kofta
- Heat oil in a frying pan or a wok (kadai).
- Before shaping and frying the entire batch, check a small tiny piece of the paneer kofta in hot oil. If it does not break, then you can easily fry the remaining koftas.
- If it does break, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornflour (cornstarch) as a binder. Mix the binder in well, then shape into koftas.
- The kofta should also come up swiftly yet gradually in the hot oil. This means the oil is hot enough for the kofta to be fried. If it browns too quickly, the oil is very hot and if the kofta remains at the bottom, the oil is warm.
- Carefully add the paneer kofta to the hot oil, being careful not to spatter the oil. The oil should be medium hot and have a temperature of 180 to 190 degrees Celsius (356 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit).
- When one side becomes golden, gently turn over with a slotted spoon and fry the second side. Fry turning over a couple of times until golden on both sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Working in batches, fry all the paneer kofta this way and drain them on a paper napkin so that the extra oil is absorbed.
Serving malai kofta
- If serving immediately, add the fried paneer kofta to the gravy in the pan.
- Or if you want to serve it in a better way, take some of the gravy in a serving bowl. Place the kofta neatly on the gravy. Drizzle some cream or top with grated paneer. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves or mint leaves and serve.
- If serving a few hours later, reheat the gravy until hot. If it looks very thick, add a bit of hot water. Warm the kofta in an oven at 120 degrees Celsius or 250 degrees Fahrenheit for some minutes. Place kofta on the gravy. Add the garnishes and serve.
- Note that these paneer kofta are really soft. So if you add them to the gravy and serve them later, they will break. You have to serve them immediately as soon as you add them to the gravy.
- Serve malai kofta hot or warm with roti, naan, steamed basmati rice or jeera rice.
Video
Nutrition
This Malai Kofta recipe post from the blog archives first published on May 2013 has been republished and updated on Dec 2022.
What other nuts or dried fruits can I add as the stuffing?
You can definitely experiment with the stuffing. Along with raisins and cashews, you can also add chopped almonds, pistachios, or even a little finely chopped dried apricot or figs for a touch of sweetness. Just keep the pieces small.
What else can be used instead of potatoes
One family member has got potato allergy
You can try with sweet potatoes, if not allergic to it. But with sweet potatoes the kofta will have a sweet taste.
Elephant Foot Yam (Suran/Jimikand) is also a good option. But you will have to cook it first in turmeric and salted water, so that its itchy quality reduces.
Another good option is raw unripe bananas (plantains). These have to be cooked first and then mashed.
Can I substitute the paneer with tofu? I I’m lactose intolerant.
Also, about the potatoes, is it 2 potatoes 200g each (400g) or total?
Yes of course, you could do that. It is 2 potatoes, both weighing 200 grams.
Hi, just wanted to know if I can bake the koftas instead of deep frying?
Thanks.
Yes, you can bake these. Brush the prepared koftas lightly with oil and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C/350 degree F for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden.
I tried this recipe yesterday, I wanted to make something really special for new year’s eve, and it was absolutely delicious! A bit industrious for me to make (I’m Italian) but definitely worth the effort! Guests were truly impressed… Thank you!
Wonderful and thank you. Yes, it is more work but the results are great. Thanks again.
Perfect balance of spices, loved the recipe.
Thanks.
Malai Kofta – I love this recipe !!!
Thanks
Your website has become my one stop for all my North Indian cooking. You are absolutely spot on with the quantity of spices suggested as well as all the recipe ingredients.
Today I made this recipe for our wedding anniversary (#31?) and it turned out fantastic!! No issues with kofta breaking and although the gravy took some time to make, the labor of love as you called it was totally worth it. Thank you for making our day!!
Happy to hear and thanks for a lovely feedback and review on the recipe. Congrats on your wedding anniversary!
Deliciousness in a small soft paneer ball!
The recipe is really easy to follow and the balance of spices was perfect to a T. My family loved the dish and definitely a worthy effort of 2 hrs for a delicious meal.
Thankyou!
Great to know and thanks for the lovely feedback and the rating too. Most welcome and take care.
Hi
Finally made these today, using home made paneer, and keeping in mind your tip about it!
I made them as a snack, just the kofta without the gravy. And they were so so so yum!!! Just perfect to liven up this rainy weekend evening 🙂
Thank you so much for yet another amazing and fail proof recipe!
Warm regards
Shubhi
Great and thanks for letting me know and taking the time to respond back. Thanks for the rating too. Most welcome.
Hi. In this malai kofta recipe can I use maida in place of corn flour. I don’t have..
Yes you can do that.
Ooops.. your name got misspelt in my comment due to auto correct! Apologies!
No problem.
Hi Dasaana
Can I use home.made chenna (by curdling milk) instead of grated paneer? I intend to crumble the chenna finely.
Also.. thank you for all the lovely recipes, each one I have tried has been fail proof !
Much Love
Shubhi
Hi Shubhi, yes you can do that. But just make sure the moisture or whey from chenna is well drained or else the kofta can break due to more moisture – then you may need to add some more cornflour to bind the mixture. Thanks for the feedback on the recipes and most welcome.
Thank you for the tip! 🙂
Welcome
Hi Amit Dassana
Thank you for making my day !!
thank you ????
I love cooking and keep experimenting and tinkering with the ingredients and proportions but this time I I followed every step diligently and the dish came out perfect. The whole family and our guests loved it.
thank you for this positive review. some variations can always be done in any recipe. but i am glad that the malai kofta recipe turned perfect with every step you followed. thanks again and happy cooking.
i tried this recipe today . Really liked it . Malai kofta came out pretty well
thank you preeti for letting me know. glad to read. happy cooking.
Thank you. Made this recipe for lunch today. Everyone liked it. I love your blog. Keep up the great work!
thanks, sakshi for this rating and feedback on malai kofta recipe. glad to know. welcome and happy cooking.
Hii. Can we make koftas in advance? Like I want to prepare this in evening so can I prepare the koftas in afternoon?
yes you can do this way.
Hi Dassana, my kid always regards me of being a great chef, however all credit goes to u. U simplify the cooking process to good extent. Continue posting ur recipes, they are simply great and worth following.
thank you so much sachin. happy to read your comment. yes sure i will keep adding more recipes. thanks again.
Hello Dassana,
Can we just grind Almonds and make almond flour? Or is there any other method?
yes, you can use just grind almonds and make the flour. another method is to soak almonds in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. then remove the skins. let them cool and then grind them to a fine powder.
Your reciepes are excellent.. when ever I try they come out superbly.. thank you so much for such an informative blog. Request you to update the reciepes for dal batti, Malai kofta in white gravy
thanks a lot shraddha. sure, i will try to add dal bati recipe as has been requested by many readers. will also try to add malai kofta in white gravy.
Your recipes are awesome. I have tried your recipes of North indian and south indian foods. Your way is easy to follow. Plus step by step photo guide is the best I have ever seen. Keep sharing such lovely recipes. Love
thank you sneha. glad that you have liked the recipes and the format of presenting the recipe. best wishes and warm regards.
Nice and simple recipe. Appreciated by all in family.
Thanks Komal. Glad to know that everyone liked the malai kofta.
Nice and simple appreciated by all
Thanks Komal
Hello, i am going to make this dish for around 12 people ( need about 20 koftas).. how should i increase the proportion?
for the koftas you can increase proportionately. for the gravy increasing all the ingredients proportionately may not work well. so while adding the ingredients the method of approximation or andaaz should be used.
Malai Kofta has become my new favorite dish. I followed the recipe exactly, and have to say the taste was up there with the best I ever had. My only issue was that the kofta fell apart slightly when trying (only some of them) and then REALLY started to fall apart when adding them to curry.
After asking around, I hear a lot of restaurants coat their kofta in flour before trying, so that’s something to try for people that are having similar issues. The temperature of the oil is of utmost importance, as well. What temperature do you use to fry?
thanks bryan. as you mention frying at the right temperature is very important. i fry at a medium flame. i have not measured the temperature, but next time when i make malai kofta, i will measure the temperature and update in the post. if there is too much moisture in the mixture or if it has not bound well, then they can break in the oil. so before frying the entire batch, check a small tiny piece of the kofta in hot oil. if it does not break, then you can easily fry the remaining koftas. if it breaks, then add some more binding agent like corn starch. mix and shape again.
Hii Dassana..I made this today and to my surprise one of my three years old twin ate it happily which usually he doesn’t do..thanks a lot for the great recipe once again..hope to write again soon!!stay blessed
Welcome Zainab. Thanks for sharing this sweet feedback. This is one of best feedback i have received on this malai kofta recipe. thanks for your best wishes.
Malai kofta is the traditional indian international food. We can give first mark to this ever. its very good to speaking about malai kofta. it is my favourite food.
thanks richard. good to know this.
I must say, absolutely fantastic recipe! My craving for excellent malai kofta has finally been satisfied! My first round of koftas fried well whereas the second batch broke up unfortunately and being 8 months pregnant, it was so hard to see so much effort disintegrating in the oil 🙁 I don’t know if it is because the oil became too hot by then. My mixture consistency was exactly like in your pictures. In any case, the taste of the koftas and the gravy was nothing less than 5 star! I’ve even tried the dahi puri recipe from here including making the puris from scratch and my family and I enjoyed authentic five star chaat at home and away from India thanks to you!
thanks a lot zainab. while frying koftas the oil has to be at the right temperature. less hot oil or too hot oil can spoil the texture. this is also true while making cheese balls or potato balls. i can understand how you must have felt ????
take care and i wish you all the best.
I bought powered mace and will add it with the powered ingredients. Should I have bought whole mace and added it with the whole spices. I love this site. One recepie leads to another. Thank you.
kent, just add a light pinch of mace as it is a very strong spice. in any recipe, mace powder can be substituted with whole mace. depending on the recipe servings, you can always increase the amount of mace powder accordingly. and thanks.
Hi Dassna,
Can I fry the koftas and keep in fridge in advance in the night as I will make it early morning for my sons tiffin.
Nilu, yes you can do this way.
Hi Amit, I am big fan of yours. I’ve tried many recipes of yours and every time my husband appreciated my cooking. Thank you thank you thank you so much.
Your blog is very convenient for guidance. Thank you again
Welcome Deepa. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
Best website ever!! I am a vegetarian and I never knew I could try these many dishes in my life time.. Your website is so handy that I always refer it for any questions !! Thank u very much !! Keep going 🙂 Love u and omg your photography!!! That’s just awesome and makes me try all the dishes as soon as I read it .. U r a genius <3
P.S- My husband loved all the dishes I tried 🙂 It is just because of you 🙂 Tku tku tku <3
Welcome Sudha. Thanks a lot for your positive feedback on recipes and also for your appreciation. Glad to read your words full of positivity and praise.
Hi… .. Iove ur blog…. The recipies are simple but yet very tasty….Thanks for sharing your
magic ☺️
Welcome Nupur. Thanks for your positive feedback on recipes.
Can i make kofta without almond floor milk powder & khoya ??
juhi, you can skip both.
Hi dassan i have few doubts can i add more garam masala insted od whole spices , can can i make the gravy alone before (2 or 3 days) and refrigirate it or freeze it.
deepti, overall just add 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder and skip the whole spices. too much of garam masala will spoil the taste. you can make the gravy before and freeze it. do not refrigerate.
Superb recipe. I have followed it step by step and prepared Malai kofta for six persons. Amazing taste, Superb flavours and everybody said that it can beat even a five star hotel.
Thanks for sharing such an amazing recipe.☺☺☺
Welcome Ashish. Thanks for sharing this awesome feedback on malai kofta recipe.
came out great except i had the same problem, there was a bitter aftertaste, maybe too much garlic
ohh. it could be due to kasuri methi and not garlic. next time you can add less kasuri methi.
Hi Dassana
how come dear you are not responding to my emails, thanks
i have not received any email from you simmy. i hope you are sending your emails to the correct email address.
hope you will add it soon
will try too.
hi dassana …can you please share Jain malai kofta recipe here… before some months I requested for the same but I am not able to find the recipe here…
komal, i am not able to make jain malai kofta recipe. there are still many recipes request in queue. will try to add soon.
ur Site is very helpful and informative …with little effort we can make yummy mouth watering dishes at home ..thnkx
can you please share Jain malai kofta recipe here…
thank you komal for your positive feedback have taken your request for jain malai kofta. please allow us some time to post the recipe.
Dear Dassana, I am from Slovakia (Eastern Europe), really far away from India. I have visited this amazing country only once, but since my childhood I love love love Indian cooking. I could eat Indian food all the time. Your blog is the best, I have tried a few recipes and all of them turned out very well. I even invested some time to get all the spices that are not so common here in my country. Also, I started making paneer quite often. My husband likes it :). This dish is the next one I am going to make. It seems a little bit complicated to me, but I will do my best and let you know how it turned out. Just wanted to let you know that you really have readers and fans all over the world!
very pleased to know alexandra about your love for indian food 🙂 thank you for your kind and motivating words it means a lot to us. surely try malai kofta and do share your feedback to us god bless you.
Hello Dassana!
Today I made the malai kofta. It took some time, but it was definitely worth it! The dish is really delicious. My sauce was a little bit too ginger-y, but maybe I just added too much of it, or did not cook it long enough… Anyway, I served it with a little bit of plain yoghurt (curd), which balanced the hot taste just right. Thank you!
thanks alexandra for sharing the feedback. yes it does take some time to prepare. what i do is prepare the mixture for the koftas a day before and keep it in the fridge. if the gravy or sauce is not sauteed or cooked well, then some rawness will be felt. glad that you liked the dish 🙂
Superb recipe…. amazing taste ??
thanks dhwani.
I have made a few tweaks to malai kofta myself. I think they don’t have a detrimental effect on the recipe!!!
1. Instead of cashews, i often use blanched almonds or regular almonds. Almonds are definitely healthier.. but please ensure they are not old/stale/bitter.
2. I avoid malai altogether. I use skimmed evaporated milk ( which is an unsweetened and lighter version of condensed milk), and on occasion have used 1% fat milk too. The only thing is one may want to use a little more onion paste and one will have to simmer the gravy a bit. You will not need to add any water. I use this hack for all malai/gravy recipes and it works great
3. While grinding onion tomato gravy, i add a slice of red bell pepper too, That adds some spice and flavour but also gives it that lovely light orange red colour.
thanks for sharing your tips and suggestions divya 🙂
tried this recipe and it tasted very good; thanks
I had this dish for the first time at India Sweets and Spices in Los Feliz, it blew me away. They only make it once a week. Where else can I find this in Los Angeles, and I want a really good version. I cannot make it to save my life. Any tips are greatly appreciated! Thanks.
i do not know where you will be able to get this dish in los angeles.
it is seriously yummy!! I will suggest you all to try it once and i am sure u will love it!!
thankyou so much anushree 🙂
December 1, 2015 at 4:03 pm
It was delicious n upto the mark … My family appreciates me for my cooking skill and all credit goes to you as wel as to my mom ??
thank you simar 🙂
Tried malai kofta for the first time.came out excellent. But my koftas didn’t absorb any taste of gravy.what did I do wrong? Can u let know soon as I need to make for this Christmas.
possibly the koftas have become dense and thats why the gravy was not absorbed. could be due to less moisture in the kofta mixture. for the next time, you could just add a few teaspoons of milk while binding the kofta. the moisture comes from the potatoes and khoya, so if the khoya is too dry then the koftas can become dense. too much of corn starch also can dry out the koftas and make them dense. hope this helps.
Oh soooo good! Those little balls of heaven. That perfect gravy. I paired it with corn and pea pulao! Definitely making this again and again and again!
glad you liked the malai kota recipe surely try again 🙂 and thankyou for trying them.
Hi there..my kofta didn’t turn out well..It broke..even though I added more cornflour as suggest by u in tips..I took 200gm paneer and 4 medium size potatoes and 1.5 cornflour and added some more cornflour later as it was breaking ..plz suggest
the mixture was loose enough and some corn starch was required. with these proportions, 2 to 3 tbsp of corn starch would suffice.
Thanks so much..I am surely going to try it again. .I am a big fan of your’s and always try every receipes from your blog only… ?
welcome suman and thanks a lot.
It was delicious n upto the mark when I tried first time but I dont know why next two times my koftas splitted into oil while frying inspite of every thing being just the same as first time. Please guide what could be the possible mistakes or reasons.
komal, the oil temperature and the binding of the kofta mixture plays a important role while frying them. do ensure that the oil is medium hot while frying them. add a tiny piece from the kofta mixture in the oil. if it comes up steadily, quickly and gradually, the oil is hot enough. if it stays in the oil for some seconds or minutes, then the oil still has to become hot. if it comes up too quickly, then the oil is very hot. also depending on the moisture content in the paneer and potatoes, you may need to add more or less of the corn starch. the mixture should not appear pasty or moist. always test a small piece in the oil, before you fry the koftas.
Thank you. M sure this would b helpful next time.
My husband called this recipe amazing. Wow! I learnt without taking help of anybody.
glad to know this and thankyou priyanka 🙂
I like this recipe and I will try it soon.
surely try and let us know how they were ?
Good Recipes
thankyou radha 🙂
I have tried this recipe..and it turned to be awesome! Thanks!
welcome priyanka
I tried this awesome recipe, turned out to be great! 😀
I have to make this again but I’m out of cashew nuts is there any alternative I could use? 🙂
thanks anshul. you can use almonds.
Hello I ll try this recipe but all kofta broken plz give suggestions
the kofta mixture did not bind well, thats why they broke. some more corn starch added in the mixture would have helped in binding the mixture and the koftas would have not broken. whenever you fry anything like a kofta or patties, then always test with a small kofta or patty. if the small kofta does not break while frying, then its safe to fry the remaining batches too. also the oil should be hot. if the oil is not hot, the koftas will absorb more oil. they become soggy and break.
This is an amazing simple recipe…i tried it for guests and everyone loved it! Thanks.
welcome surbhi
Excellent recipe. My 2 cents to people who try this
1. Make sure you make a proper paste of cahew/almonds as they dont look very good raw in mouth
2. For making tomato puree, boil tomoatoes and then peel them off. Or else the skin comes in your mouth
3. In the kofta mix, i added some dry roasted spinach and cabbage (optional)
thanks vibhu for sharing positive feedback and for your tips.
Hi! I’m very excited to try this recipe for tonight’s dinner! I was just wondering about the amount of turmeric used – I can’t seem to find it on the ingredients list. Thank you!
its 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder. i will add in the ingredient list too. thanks.
Good
Hi Dassana,
Very good recipe and I tried this, it turned out fine. But only problem I faced frying the koftas they were breaking up while frying. Khoya and Paneer got scattered in the pan. Could you suggest why it might have happened? Is it because quantity of potato should be more? Please suggest!
thanks harsha. it needs more binding agent. you can either increase the quantity of potatoes or add some more corn starch. possibly there must be lot of moisture in the khoya.
Is it okay if I don’t add garlic to it…suggest some alternative!
sonali, you can skip adding garlic. alternative is add a pinch of hing/asafoetida.
Excellent stuff. I will try it soon.
BTW… I cooked baigan burta following your instructions and trust me, it was delicious. Thank you 🙂
welcome deepika. glad to know this.
I tried this recipe…and my family just loved it. I too kept licking my fingers. Although i have a question about ur veg biriyani recipe.
The place where i live its difficult to find dried star anise, is there any replacement? Or can i omit it?
thanks rimi. glad to know this. you can skip adding dried star anise.
Mine were a bit bland. I did not put the fenugreek leaves, it does makes a difference in the result?
I was wondering if the potatoes i used were to big in proportion with the amount of cheese. When i fried them they hold together.
And the garam masala i used was the one from the store because i don’t black
Cardamoms and jayitri.
If i omit the chillies because spicy food irritates my stomach (i have IBS) would change the result in the recipe?
I am a bit disappointed with the result.:(:(
the recipe is not bland. did you omit the red chili powder. also did you skip the whole garam masala spices and just added garam masala powder. its very not clear from your comment. when store brought garam masala is added, you need to add more as they are not strongly flavored like homemade ones. when using store brought garam masala you can easily use from 1/2 to 1 tsp. fenugreek leaves do give a nice flavor to the dish. omitting chilies in any recipe will change the final result.
Hi… i had problem while frying koftas.. it turned out to be very soft and raw from inside… it also sticked while frying.. what should i do?
the sticking was as the oil was not hot enough or the kadai or pan was not seasoned well (meaning used often for frying). thats also the reason the koftas were raw from inside as they did not cook well enough. just pan fry them like aloo tikkis instead of deep frying the. that should solve the problem.
I stuffed them with almonds and raisins, and made them a little bit smaller. I got 12 small ones instead of 6 big ones.
so tasty, thank you very much for sharing this recipe.
thanks for sharing the feedback. the size of the koftas can be made as per one’s preference.
Hi, i just tried this recipe…. Awsm. Love the clarity of instructions nd ingredients explained… I will be following this site for my recipes. Cant believe malai koftas are so easy to cook…… Thanks dassana…. U r the best.
Welcome Kk. glad to know that you liked the recipe. do try some more recipes.
Tried tawa pulai and kofta curry and out turned out really well..thanks a lot for sharing such wonderful recipes
welcome ruchika. thanks for sharing positive feedback.
delicious recipe, but my dumplings fall apart when I try to fry them….
thanks tim. trying adding some more binding agent like corn starch or bread crumbs. oil also has to be hot enough before frying.
Awesome recipe, love it.Can you tell me how to make good cream from simple packet milk?
thanks. you will have to heat the milk. once it cools, collect the malai or cream floating on top in a bowl or box and keep in the freezer. collect the floating cream every time when you get fresh milk. use your own mathematics and when you get a good bowl of malai. defrost it for some hours. then add in a blender or stand mixer. whip up till the malai becomes smooth and flowing. collect this cream in a bowl and refrigerate.
Hi Dassana! I have tried quite a variety of the recipes you have posted here. Cabbage matar Sabzi, stuffed Simla mirch, gobhi ke danthal ki Sabzi, mint yoghurt chutney, garlic naan, Achari paneer tikka, Kashmiri dum aloo to name a few. But malai kofta was the best and was polished off by my family in no time. All thanks to you! 🙂
PS: Can you also include a recipe for banana stem?
welcome Deepti. thanks for sharing positive review on recipes. its difficult for me to get banana stem here. if i get then i will surely add the recipe.
Best malai kofta recipe ever!! No words can describe what a mind blowing dish it turned out to be , thanks a ton for sharing your talent with us !!!
welcome deepti. thanks for your awesome feedback on malai kofta recipe.
Amazing! I’ve cooked this recipe four times now and I’m starting to tweak it to my own flavors and perfect it. It goes down really well at social gatherings and special occasions!
thanks celine. glad to know that you liked the recipe.
Thank u so much for mouth watering recipe!!!!I wanna ask one thing that can we add bread crumbs instead of cornflour for koftas
welcome kanu. thanks for this sweet feedback. yes you can add bread crumbs instead of corn flour.
Thanks.
Your receipes are easy to make at Home. And really very testy. It is not need to go restaurant.
welcome vikram. thanks for sharing your motivating feedback on recipes.
Thank you so much as you explained so well and in a very simple way . I tried and my husband said that it is better than our favourite restaurant .
welcome dolly. thats really good to hear.
i have tried tis but when frying it was separated.
there should be not much moisture in the kofta mixture. or some more corn starch could have been added to bind the koftas well.
Hey I wanna ask can I make these koftas with gram flour also I the same way as we use corn flour
you can add gram flour as binding agent. but the taste will be different.
Wow..mouth watering recipe..m gonna try this tonight..can you pls share a recipe with lotus root also..was searching for it as well…this site has really developed my interest in cooking..all thanks to you dear…
thanks swati for this positive feedback. its very difficult to get lotus root in my place. i have few recipes with lotus root but i don’t get them easily. will keep your request in mind.
Thanks for noting down the request, in-fact I was also looking for the recipe like called Bhein is lotus root or is called kamal dode also.
Also Dassana,even i faced the same problem of kofte breaking,what would you suggest like shallow frying is ok as that is healthy and even the kofte does not splits..
welcome megha. i have one recipe of lotus stem kofta in drafts. i will try to add it. i also make lotus stem fry from the kashmiri pandit cuisine, but did not take pics as yet. will try to add this one too. shallow frying kofta is perfectly fine. you shape them like aloo tikkis and then shallow fry.
Awsum recipie for malai kofta..thanx.. 🙂 keep updating with other mouth watering dishes..god blss
welcome kratika. thanks for sharing positive feedback and for your blessings.
Superb website,,…… It was very useful for me while preparing so many dishes.. Thank a lot..
welcome sonal. thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
I have made many recipies by seing from this site. I really preffered many recipies. I have made malai khofta by seing above recipies and every one liked it very very much.
thanks kajol for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
You have a lovely blog. The recipes are very well explained which makes it really easy to follow. I had tried this recipe earlier and it came out absolutely yum, today i made the gravy with boiled onion paste and that tasted very good too. do try it with boiled onions and let me know how you liked it.
thanks for the feedback. i will try with boiled onion paste. i have made other gravies but not malai kofta. i will try malai kofta too.
nice recepies
thanks anjali
Hi,
I couldn’t find tomato purée, how can I use tomato paste instead? Thanks!!
welcome joti. i don’t know i have never used tomato paste. so you have to use your own judgement or make tomato puree at home.
Hi Dassana
I tried this recipe and wasn’t able to fry the kofta as they kept sinking to the bottom of the fry pan (non stick fry pan) and would stick to the bottom and break apart with the cottage cheese and potato burning eventually. Could you suggest another way to fry the kofta? Also can we use almond paste instead of cashew paste in the gravy ?
hi shivani, this is because the oil was not hot. if the oil was hot, the koftas would come up on top of the oil and frying would be easy. i am not sure which shape of pan you used, but fir frying kofta, kadai works best. another way would be to fry them like tikkis or patties. just flatten them and shallow fry them. but here too make sure the oil is hot. you can also pan fry the tikkis or patties with 1 or 2 tbsp oil and this will give a make it more healthy as less oil is used up. but the texture will not be crisp all over. yes, you can add almond paste instead of cashew paste.
Hi, I have a question, can we blend cashew, onion and tomatoes all together?
yes you can make this way too. just soak the cashews in hot water for 30 minutes before you blend them with the onions and tomatoes. in this case, the sauteing of the paste will take some more time.
Nice Recipe…
thanks pari
Thank you for sharing this great recipe! Easy to make it as well
Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
I tried this on the New Years Eve and my guests loved it.
welcome irfana. glad to know.
The recipe looks very good , thanks! I am planning to make it for eight people, should i just double the quantity of everything includind the spices?
Thanks!
yes double the quantity of everything, including the spices.
Thank you so much for publishing this recipe. Your instructions were so clear and precise it made an intimidating recipe easy-peasy! I tried this recipe for the first time and the compliments poured in left, right and centre. Thank you!
welcome shruthi. glad to know that everyone liked the recipe so much. happy cooking.
Hi,Dassana.
your recepies are a great saviour for working women like me who have unsatiable tastebud
…easy to make and great in taste…thank u for being a wonderful guide…kanchan verma
welcome kanchan. big thanks for sharing positive feedback on recipes.
Hi Dassana
I love your recipes and frequently visit your website. I tried this recipe but it turned out a bit bitter. I had put sugar as well but I must admit I didn’t measure the ingredients exactly for the masala. What could have gone wrong?
hi monika, there is no ingredient which is bitter in the recipe, except kasuri methi. but kasuri methi also has a faint bitterness and added for its aroma. so i can only rule out kasuri methi. perhaps you must have added an extra quantity and thats why the gravy was a bit bitter.
Hi..your all recipes are awesome..
thanks jyoti.
It’s very yummy recipe the best compliment I got from my husband is that no one can cook like this thanks dassana
thanks a lot poonam. happy for you 🙂
Thanks for the fantastic recipe. As others did, I ended up throwing some cashews and raisins into the Koftas and it worked magnificently.
You did an excellent job laying out an intimidating recipe and making it approachable and pointing out potential variations. It’s incredibly rare that I try a recipe I find online and it works the first time. Great job.
thanks a lot. glad to know that the recipe worked for you. stuffing the koftas with dry fruits gives a textural contrast as well makes them taste good.
Hello ….can we grind onion garlic and ginger all together as it is harder to grind ginger garlic past im small quantities
yes you can grind them together.
Hello…i have one question..what to do wid the whole spices as if left in gravy no one in ma family likes them coming into mouth…do can we remove them ….if yes at what point of time to remove…
you can remove the whole spices just before serving.
Hey the veg is so so yummy but there is a problem my hubby want this veg in tiffin so what should I do I mean should I put gravy and koftas separately or mixed…
If I place them mixed koftas will become extra soft ???
keep them separate. otherwise the koftas absorb the gravy and break.
Thanks! You made it easy.
I tried the recipe with a few tweaks.
In the kaju paste I added some melon seeds and poppy seeds.
Net result, my husband said tasted as good as restaurant wale! Infact he said even better because i didn’t make it sweet.
thanks a lot, saved many a meal with your recipes.
welcome zainab and thanks for sharing your variation.
I made this recipe and the taste was really very good. I loved specially the gravy of the curry. I have one question in my mind.. does the magic bulet works good to grind whole spices into powder form?
thanks. yes it works foram. small amount of spices work in the magic bullet. for large amounts its better to use a grinder.
This recipe is yummilicious.. tried it for the first time.
Gave it a twist by stuffing the kofta’s with roasted dry fruits..
Thanks Dassana for sharing it. 🙂
welcome mansi and thanks for sharing your variation.
Made it for my mom and she said the taste is good. Finished the dish in no time. So the taste came out really good. NOT DIFFICULT TO COOK AT ALL AFTER IT IS EXPLAINED
SO CLEARLY. THANKS A LOT.
welcome anand. glad to know that you all liked the kofta recipe.
ohh its realy amazing…i tried it.my daughtr loved it.wel nw we shudnt need to go at out to hv dis.dassana u make it easy..wel if i wil try seeds rather dan cashew for paste..then wud it make any diffrnce in taste?
my daughter love sugery taste..can i use raisin in it?
anyways…thnks a lot
which seeds are you referring to pournima. yes you can add raisins in the gravy… no issues.
Hi,
I am planning to try this out today….have been searching for it a long while. My daughter and husband would love to have this…..can u please tell me how to make the tomato puree…
there are basically two ways for making tomato puree. in this recipe, i have just chopped the tomatoes and blended them to make smooth puree. you can blend the tomatoes in an electric blender or even in a mixer-grinder. also hand held blender can be used. no need to add water while making the tomato puree. other way is to blanch the tomatoes and then make the puree. 2 to 3 medium tomatoes will give about 3/4 to 1 cup tomato puree.
its realy awsome…my daughter lovd it…i was thinking like paneer kofta cnt make at home…its time consuming and complicated.bt dassana u made it easy.
thank u sooo much.nw i can enjoy paneer at home easy.
welcome pournima. good to know that you found the recipe easy and liked it.
This is what I order every time I go to an Indian Restaurant. I would love to be able to cook it at home. I have a few questions:
Is pureed tomatoes made with whole, raw tomatoes, or is that the kind that comes in a can?
How do you make cashew puree?
Thank you so much!
made with fresh whole tomatoes. not the ones that come in a can. soak the cashews in hot water for 30 mins or in normal water for 2 hours. drain the cashews and then blend adding little water to a smooth paste.
Hi there! Malia Kofta is my favourite dish! So delicious..
Sad news is that I’m vegan now so I can’t get it at restaurants, but I can make it at home with a few tweaks.. What can I use instead of paneer? Or can I just omit that altogether? Thank you! 🙂 <3
instead of paneer, you can use extra firm silken tofu. i think the texture of this tofu would go well. may be for binding you might need to add some more corn starch so that the koftas don’t break in oil. you can also skip them altogether. just make the kofta with mashed potatoes, almond flour or ground almonds, corn starch or rice flour (for binding) and stuff them with chopped cashews and raisins.
I recently tried malai kofta and absolutely loved it. This recipe looks so good, I will need to make it one day for everyone at home. I’m allergic to nuts however, do you have any recommendations for substitutes for the cashew paste, or can I just not add it in without it making too much of a difference?
Thanks 🙂
thanks aleisha for the feedback. as a substitute, you can use dried melon seeds (either musk melon or water melon seeds). we generally use these seeds in indian cooking along with either cashew or almond paste. the melon seed paste help to thicken the gravy as well give their flavor. the taste will be different though as cashews are not added.
Hi,
Tried the malai kofta recipe yesterday for dinner . And it was so yummy and delicious . and the best thing was it was so easy to prepare . thanks for sharing this recipe .regards
seema
welcome seema. thanks for giving this positive feedback.
that is a very nice way to making a recipes
thanks vaishali
Lovely site. Can’t wait to try your recipe for Mali kofta. I am glad yours isn’t toally white like the one in the video.
thanks barr.
looks mouthwatering.i have a birthday party. i want to make the koftas in advance a day or two maybe. can I do that?
yes jay, you can make the kofta one day in advance (but not 2 days in advance as they are made of paneer). refrigerate the kofta, once the temperature comes down after making them.
Superb recipe… Turned soooooo well….Thank you very much Dassana…
welcome neelam
Hi , can you tell me if I don’t want to use cornflour what can I use instead?? N if at all cornflour has to be used which one I should buy ??
use besan instead of corn flour. first roast the besan in a small pan till its raw aroma goes away and then add it to the potato mixture. you can use any good brand of corn flour. i use either brown & polson or rex.
Oh, i couldn’t see the amount of turmeric in the ingredient list – about a teaspoon???
Hi, am about to try this. Can you give me rough idea of amounts of cashews, tomatoes, & onions i will need to make the pastes? Thanks.
onions can be 1 medium.
tomatoes are about 2 medium to large tomatoes, pureed.
cashews would be 10-12 whole cashews .
will update the post about the turmeric powder. about 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder is added.
looks great ..wil definately try this…
Reading this, i nw cnt resist myslf frm having one. .:)
thank u so much for the reply…..will incorporate these changes nxt time….one more thing…..i tried to shallow fry them wid enuf oil…..however they stuck the to bottom the moment i put it in n thts why they fell apart….they stuck bad….any tip?
n yeah forgot to mention…..luv ur blog….easy way of cooking….thank u so much….:-)
okay. they stuck and thats why they broke. what kadai you use. nonstick or a thick bottomed iron or aluminium kadai. generally when frying, the kadai as well as the oil has to be hot. what i have observed is that if i don’t use a particular kadai for frying at all or use it for making sabzis or roasting etc, then when i fry in it, the pakoras sometimes get stuck. so usually i stick to one kadai for deep or shallow frying.
Hi….I made this today, but y koftas weren’t as smooth s yours…..also they were breaking apart…where did I go wrong
to get the smoothness you have to mix and mash the kofta mixture really well. did they break after adding the gravy or before. if before, then that means the mixture has not binded well. depends upon the quality of paneer and potatoes. so some extra cornflour added would have not allowed the koftas to break while frying. and if after when you added them to the gravy, then they have to be added just before serving. if the koftas are immersed in the gravy, then they absorb the gravy and break.
Dear Dassani
I really love your recipies. I love cooking but dont get a lot of time to do so. But i really enjoy your recipies as they are so easy & quick & come out very well, just the way u describe them. My son love s kofta..got to try this one.
Thanks.
Kirti
thanks kirti
Do you think that it is possible to replace the paneer with tofu to make a vegan version?
hi sara. you can easily replace tofu with paneer. thats what i do with all the paneer recipes that i make at home now. i use tofu 🙂
Super! Thank you for the quick reply 🙂
sara, you are welcome.
VERY USEFULL RECIPIES.
BEST RECIPE PLACE I HAVE EVER VISITED
thanks Motish
Hi! This looks AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it. Malai kofta is one of my favourite foods ever so I would love to make it.
I’ve made the red thai curry recipe from your blog and it’s fabulous so can’t wait to try this one.
Keep up the great cooking!
Really good! Love koftas and this is really yummy!
Hello. Lovely recipe. An all time favourite !!
A quick question though. Almond flour is same as almond powder?
In case I don’t have khoya or milk powder what do I use? Thank you!
hi nancy, it is same. then no need to add them. the milk powder or khoya or almond powder just gives a nice sweet tinge to the koftas.
Excellent recepie . Love it. Really wonderful
thanks pushpa
looks stunning,never tried your version so this is so amazing.
wow before i started blogging i always craved for koftas in restaurants
now we know with little or more effort we can make it at home and get even more for less price
i love ur version here and what is magic bullet thing.. can u pls share the pic of it. wud try to get it here if i can
magic bullet is mini chopper & blender. good for making small batch of chutneys, masala paste purees and even chopping. i purchased from flipkart. you can search on amazon or flipkart. btw i have the chinese version purchased in error. but still going good.
oh wow with cashew paste!! =P You have awakened the gourmande in me Dassana. 😉
This is very good….wondered about this recipe…thanks for the pics…it makes this recipe easy to make….
Can’t expect a much more rich gravy 🙂 drooling !
awesome recipe…my family loved it 🙂