A hearty, rich and creamy meal but cutting little on calories, what can be better than Malai Kofta when your cravings go super high in Navratri?

Making the koftas healthier, I’ve skipped from the usual deep frying and prepared the koftas in a paniyaram pan. The koftas are soft, paneer based and melt in mouth with a bite. I’ve served the koftas in a rich cashew, curd & cream based white gravy. Low on spices, with hints of saffron and cardamom, this is my favourite recipe. I served it with samo rice pooris which are an excellent shift from the usual kuttu, singhara puris in terms of taste.​

Ingredients:

• For Kofta:
  • 1 small Boiled Potato
  • 100 gms Paneer
  • Few Chopped Cashews (For Stuffing)
  • Few Chopped Raisins (For Stuffing)
  • 3 Green Cardamoms Coarsely Crushed
  • 2 Tbsp Singhara flour + for rolling
  • 1 Tsp Sendha Salt (to Taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (to Taste)
  • 1/4th Desiccated Coconut
  • Oil for deep frying

• For Gravy:
  • 25 Cashews Paste
  • 1.5 Tbsp Oil or Ghee
  • 1 cardamom
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 4 peppers
  • 80 Gm/ 1/3 cup khoya / Mawa
  • 1 tsp Ginger Paste
  • 1/2 cup yoghurt
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1/4 tsp. Cardamoms powder
  • Few strands saffron soaked in warm water
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Cream
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Sendha salt (to taste)
  • 1 tsp Sugar

Method:

• Koftas:
  1. Blend the paneer in a mixer grinder till smooth and take it out in a plate.
  2. Grate the potatoes in the paneer and add the spices, salt, flour and coconut. Mix well till well combined and smooth.
  3. Grease the paniyaram pan with some oil and heat it on medium flame.
  4. Make around 10- 12 balls with the mixture by tightly pressing and smoothing with palms and stuffing the cashews & raisins.
  5. Roll them lightly in some Singhara flour and keep aside.
  6. Once the paniyaram pan is moderately hot, add the kofta balls in each cavity and cook them covered on medium flame, turning the koftas in between for around 10-12 minutes. Keep them aside on an absorbent paper. (See notes for fried version)

• Gravy:
  1. Heat oil or ghee in a pan, add the whole spices and sauté till they release aroma.
  2. Add in the ginger paste and sauté till it leaves the raw aroma.
  3. Add in the cashew paste and sauté stirring constantly on medium flame till it starts separating from the pan.
  4. Add in the khoya/ mawa and sauté for another 2 minutes on medium flame.
  5. Add the yoghurt, stirring constantly on low flame. Cover and let it simmer on medium flame for 7-8 minutes, stirring in between or till oil starts separating.
  6. Add in the water to adjust the consistency.
  7. Finish with crushed kasturi methi, garam masala, salt, sugar, pepper, cardamom powder, saffron and cream.
  8. Just before serving, add in the koftas and let them simmer in the gravy for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with coriander and cream and serve.

Notes:

1. The yoghurt should be room temperature and should be added on very low flame , stirring constantly, else it might split.
2. Blend the paneer till very smooth. It is a secret to making super soft and spongy koftas.
3. You can also make the koftas by deep frying them in oil on medium flame if you don’t have a paniyaram pan.
4. Keep the flame medium while sautéing cashew paste as it can easily burn.
5. Cooking the koftas in the gravy for 2-3 minutes makes them softer and the gravy gets into them.
6. You can serve them with kuttu, singhara or samo pooris.