Malai Kofta

Serves 4| Prep Time: 20 Mins |Cook Time: 25 Mins|
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients needed to prepare koftas:
Yields -11 koftas 

•    Potato -2 or 1/2 cup boiled and mashed
•    1/2 cup Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans,peas or as your wish)
•    Paneer- 1/2 cup
• 
  
•    2 finely Green chillies chopped 
•    2 tsp Coriander powder
•    1 tsp Cumin powder
•    3/4 tsp Red chilli powder
•    1 tbsp Cashew nuts (finely chopped) 
•    2 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
•    3/4 tsp Cornflour(Cornflour for rolling the koftas)
•    Salt as needed
•    Oil for frying koftas

Ingredients needed for the sauce:

•    1 tbsp Oil
•    1 big Onion
•    1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
•    3 Tomatoes
•    1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
•    1 tsp Cumin powder/jeera powder
•    2 tsp Coriander powder
•    3/4 tsp Red chilli powder
•    Salt as needed
•    1/4 cup Dairy Cream
•    1 tbsp Cashew nut coarsely powdered
•    1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

For the seasoning:

•    Oil - 1 tbsp
•    Shah jeera/Caraway Seeds -3/4 tsp

Method :

Boil vegetables or pressure cook vegetables for 2 whistles. I kept beans, carrot and peas in a vessel without water, closed it with a lid and kept potatoes on top and pressure cooked for 2 whistles. In this method there is less moisture in the vegetables. (Don't forget to add water in the pressure cooker).Whichever method you follow, put the vegetables in a muslin or malmal cloth and squeeze out all excess water. You can use that water for the gravy later. Drain the water from the potatoes immediately after cooking.

Grate paneer and keep it ready.

In a bowl, mix together grated paneer, mashed potatoes, vegetables, finely chopped green chillies, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, finely chopped coriander leaves, chopped nuts, 3/4 tsp cornflour and salt needed. Mix well.

Divide the mixture equally and make balls.

Roll the balls in cornflour. This is done to absorb any moisture left.

Heat oil and fry the koftas in batches on medium heat until golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain them on a paper towel. Now the koftas are ready. Keep it aside.

Remove from oil and drain them on a paper towel. Now the koftas are ready. Keep it aside.

Now we will prepare the sauce-

Heat a tbsp of oil, fry chopped onions until golden brown. Add salt to speed up the process. Saute continuously for even browning..
Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and cook until tomatoes become mushy. Do not add water. If it is too dry, add just 1 or 2 tbsp of water. Allow it to cool. Add salt required. (remember we already added salt to the onions)

Once it cools, blend it to a fine paste.

Now heat oil in a kadai again, add shah jeera, when it splutters, add the ground paste and cook for a few minutes.

Add 1 cup of water, cream, cashew nut powder and bring it to boil on low flame.

Add the koftas gently and switch off the flame.(add koftas only at the time of serving)

Sprinkle garam masala and finely chopped coriander leaves.