I never knew Malai koftha is one such easy recipe until my friend reetu shared her way of preparing it. The stuffing is completely optional. we can add from vegetables to meat(am yet to try the meat version). i love making paneer at home, so when i had only some frozen peas,canned corn and potatoes i decided to prepare paneer and make koftha gravy for my husband's lunch. It seems to be lengthy process but this is a super easy and healthy method. i didn't deep fry the koftha's. i toasted them in paniyarakal like my mom does for vadakari. i am happy that i could serve the recipe with same taste without deep frying the koftha's.
I used only 3 vegetables for preparation but we can make changes using any vegetable to the stuffing like beans,carrot,cauliflower,spinach or anything.
Ingredients:
For making Koftha's:
Grated Paneer - 1 cup
Potato(diced) - 2/3 cup
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Sweet Corn - 1/4 cup
(Boil Potato,Peas & Corn until they are soft and cooked. keep the boiled water after straining for using while making gravy)
Chilli powder - 2-1/2 teaspoons
Coriander powder - 3 teaspoons
Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
Ajwain - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida / Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Raisins - 1 tablespoon
Cashew nut - 5 no's
Badam / Almond - 5 no's
(Crush Cashew and badam to gether to coarse powder. final product will be 1 tablespoon)
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Salt - as needed
Oil - to deep fry
(i toasted them in paniyarakal. deep frying koftha's are choice)
For making Gravy:
Onion (diced) - 3 cups
Tomato (diced) - 1-2/3 cups
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder - 1-1/2 teaspoons
Coriander powder - 2 tablespoons
Cumin powder - 1 tablespoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 4 tablespoon
Cream - 1/4 cup (or) Milk - 2/3 cup
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Water(Vegetable boiled water if u saved) - 2/3 cup
Salt - as needed
Method:
To prepare Koftha's:
- Drain the water from boiled vegetables(keep the boiled water to use while making gravy). Take a bowl,add Paneer,Boiled Vegetalbes and all other ingredients mentioned above(except oil) from the list "For making koftha's". Mash them together and check salt(add if needed).
- Make small round balls or any shape out of the koftha mash. Take a paniyarakal and add some drops of oil and toast them both sides until they are golden brown (or) Take a pan, heat oil in medium flame and deep fry the koftha's until they are golden brown.
To prepare Gravy:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a kadai. Saute onions until they are golden brown. now add Ginger garlic paste,saute for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and saute for 5 minutes.
- Switch off the stove when they are soft and cooked. Take a mixer and grind the sauted onions&tomatoes to a fine paste.
- Heat oil in a kadai,add fennel seeds and let it splatter. now add the ground paste,chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and saute until the oil oozes out (8 to 10 minutes on medium flame).
- Now add Water and mix well. then add cream, when it starts to boil(Foam forms on the top) add Garam masala and mix well. allow to boil for 2 minutes and switch off. Add koftha's only while serving.
- Malai Koftha is ready to serve with Chappati/Naan/Paratha.
Am happy to send this recipe to:
