Malai kofta is a dish that is usually served on special occasions or around festival season, but I like to think of it as a Sunday supper kind of dish. The pillowy soft fritters (koftas) are made from a combination of paneer and mawa (also known as khoa), and they are stuffed with what we call ‘mithe mave’ in Punjabi. A combination of raisins, nuts, dried fruit etc.
In this recipe my stuffing is created from California raisins, almonds, ginger, and green chilies for the perfect sweet and spicy bite! I’ve also opted for a white gravy which is what I like with malai kofta, but I know some people make it with a tomato gravy. If you’d prefer that version, I suggest making this makhani gravy from my butter chicken recipe
A few notes on making Malai Kofta
- If you have the time to make your own paneer, it is definitely worth the extra effort in this recipe. You’ll find the koftas are lighter than when you use store bought paneer. Of course, if store bought is the only option, remember to soak the paneer in water for at least half an hour before grating it. This will create a softer kofta.
- Don’t skimp on the California raisins in the stuffing. They are naturally sweet so you don’t need to add any sugar to the recipe, and they are a great source of potassium and fiber. Most importantly, they work so well to balance the ginger and chilis in the stuffing.
- If you find your koftas are cracking as you make the balls, you can always go back and add a little all-purpose flour to the dough and re-work it. Just add it a tablespoon at a time. Ideally you’ll want as little flour as possible in the mix, but a little more won’t hurt!
Malai Kofta With White Gravy
Description
Malai kofta is a dish that is usually served on special occasions or around festival season.The pillowy soft fritters (koftas) are made from a combination of paneer and mawa, and they are stuffed with a combination of raisins and nuts, and served with a white malai gravy
Ingredients
Filling:
½ cup California raisins
½ cup almonds, lightly chopped
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp ginger, chopped
1-2 green chilis, chopped
Kofta:
1 block paneer (approx 325-350 grams), grated
½ block mawa or khoya (approx 150 grams), grated
3 tbsp maida
¼ tsp cardamom powder
½ tsp salt
Sauce
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup cashews
½ cup melon seeds (magaz)
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 green chilli
1 tsp kasuri methi
Instructions
Directions:
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Make a dough out of the kofta ingredients. Do this by rubbing all the items together between your palms until they begin to come together. Work the mixture until a dough is formed. Reserve a ¼ cup of the dough for the filling. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes while making the filling.
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Make the filling by toasting the raisins and almonds in ghee. Mix them with all the other filling ingredients and the reserved paneer dough.
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Shape and fill the koftas. Create a small disk with a ball of the paneer dough in your hand using approximately 45 grams of dough. Create an indent in the disk and fill with 10-15 grams of the filling. Close the ball around the filling and press together to form a ball. For a detailed demonstration see this video.
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Deep fry the koftas at 340 F for 4-6 minutes until golden brown.
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Make the sauce by simmering the onions, cashews, and melon seeds in water for 10-12 minutes. Puree all the ingredients together (including water), and season with the spices listed, adjusting to your taste.
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Serve by layering the sauce and koftas.
