மலாய் கொஃப்தா (Malai Kofta)
Malai kofta is a North Indian vegetarian gravy. Kofta is a combination of potato and paneer mixture, fried in oil. This is a very rich gravy prepared with milk cream and cashews.
Malai Kofta is one of the best combination for Chapathi and Naan. This is my favorite recipe, I always use homemade paneer because that gives good taste.
Ingredients for Malai Kofta
Kofta
Milk – 2.5 cups or grated paneer – 1/2 cup
Potato – 2 medium size
Green chilli – 1
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Cashews – 1 tbs
All purpose flour – 1.5 tbs
Cilantro – 1 tbs
Lemon juice – 1 tbs(for homemade paneer)
Salt as needed
Oil for frying
Grinding Ingredients
Onion – 1 (chopped)
Tomato – 4 (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbs
Oil – 1 tbs
Cashews – 2 tbs
Gravy
Heavy cream – 1/2 cup
Butter – 1 tbs
Oil – 1 tbs
Bay leaf – 1
Cardamom – 2
Clove – 2
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tbs
Kasturi Methi – 1 tsp
Cinnamon – 1 small piece
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt as needed
Directions
Prepare Kofta
Boil milk and switch off the flame when milk raises.
Pour the lemon juice and filter the milk cheese (paneer).
Boil the potato, remove the skin and mash that.
Add the mashed potato and paneer in a mixing bowl.
Also add all the other kofta ingredients in the mixing bowl.
Knead everything well and make small balls.
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the kofta balls in medium flame.
Fry the balls until golden brown.
Grinding
Heat oil in a pan then add chopped onion and ginger garlic paste.
Sauté them until onion turns golden brown then add chopped tomatoes.
Now sauté tomato until mushy then add cashews and mix well.
Let the sautéd ingredients cool down completely.
Grind into fine paste in a mixie jar.
Prepare Gravy
Heat butter and oil in a pan and keep the flame low.
Add bay leaf, clove, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds then sauté.
Now add garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt.
Mix everything well and pour the ground paste.
Cover the pan and cook the gravy for 5 minutes.
Crush the Kasturi Methi and drizzle in the gravy.
Pour the heavy cream and mix well.
Switch off the flame and add all the fried kofta balls.
Mix all the balls coated with gravy gently.
Malai kofta ready.
Serve the gravy with Chappathi/ Naan.
Notes
I used fried cashews. If you are using raw, add it while adding onion to sauté.
Pictures
Kofta Ingredients 
Grind Ingredients 
Gravy Ingredients 
Boil potato 
Boiled potato 
Peel skin off 
Take potato in bowl and mash 
Mashed potatoes 
Boil milk in a pan 
Squeeze lemon juice in milk 
Paneer forms 
Filter water out of paneer 
Add paneer to mashed potatoes 
Also add other kofta ingredients 
Kofta dough ready 
Make small balls 
Heat oil in a frying pan 
Put kofta balls one by one 
Color changes 
Take out when ready 
Kofta balls ready 
Take a pan and add little oil 
Add onion and ginger garlic paste 
Once fried, add tomato 
Fry until tomato becomes mushy 
Now add cashews and let it cools down 
Take in mixie jar 
Take butter, oil in a pan and heat in low flame 
Now add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin seeds and cardamom 
After a minute, add masalas, salt and mix 
Pour the ground mix in a pan 
Pour the ground mix in a pan 
Mix well and cook for 5 minutes with lid closed 
Add methi leaves 
Pour heavy creamer 
Mix well and switch off flame 
Now add all kofta balls 
Mix gently 
Serve Malai Kofta in a bowl 
மலாய் கொஃப்தா
