Malai Kofta
Creamy paneer and potato dumplings simmered in a silky tomato cream sauce. A vegetarian Indian classic that tastes restaurant-quality but requires no special skills.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 16g
Ingredients
- 200 g paneer, crumbled into small pieces
- 150 g potato, boiled and mashed
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste
- 200 ml tomato puree
- 100 ml heavy cream or yogurt
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled paneer, mashed potato, flour, salt, and pepper using a fork, mixing until the texture looks like wet sand with no lumps.
- 2
Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, then gently roll each portion between your palms into a ball about the size of a walnut.
- 3
Place a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, waiting until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 60 seconds.
- 4
Gently place the 6 kofta balls into the hot oil, spacing them so they are not touching, and let them sit undisturbed for 90 seconds until the bottom is light golden-brown.
- 5
Using a slotted spoon, turn each kofta over and cook on the other side for another 90 seconds until light golden, then transfer all kofta to a small plate.
- 6
Add the diced onion to the same skillet (no need to wipe it) and stir with a wooden spoon once every 15 seconds, cooking for about 3 minutes until the onion turns translucent.
- 7
Pour in the 200 ml tomato puree and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture bubbles smoothly, about 1 minute.
- 8
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the 100 ml heavy cream or yogurt until no white streaks remain and the sauce looks uniform and glossy.
- 9
Gently slide all 6 kofta balls back into the sauce and let them simmer undisturbed for 4 minutes until the sauce has a consistent colour and the kofta are heated through.
- 10
Taste the sauce and stir in a pinch of salt if needed, then carefully divide the kofta and sauce between two bowls.
Tools you’ll need
- medium bowl
- fork
- 10-inch skillet
- wooden spoon
- slotted spoon
- small plate
- two serving bowls
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
