Malai Kofta

Crush the cashew nuts in a mortar and pestle, grate the dried coconut using the small hole of a box grater, and chop the raisins.2. Grate the paneer using the medium hole of a box grater. If using homemade paneer, crumble it with your fingers.3. Boil the potatoes and refrigerate them for a few hours. You can boil them in a pot, in a traditional pressure cooker, or instant pot.4. Chop onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro and green chilli peppers.5. Gather the remaining ingredients.

To make the filling, mix together crushed cashew nuts, grated dried coconut and chopped raisins in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine grated paneer, boiled, peeled, cooled and grated potatoes, poha (soaked in 2 tbsp water for 10 mins), grated ginger, finely chopped green chili pepper, finely chopped cilantro, salt to taste, garam masala spice mix, and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients well using your fingers until they come together.

Take a lime size portion of the paneer mixture and slightly flatten it in between your palms.

Keep a tsp of filling that we made earlier in the center and bring the ends together to make a smooth ball. You can also shape the kofta in pear shape (conical) as I did.

Make all the kofta in the same manner.

Roll the kofta in 2 tbsp cornstarch and set aside. Rolling them in dry cornstarch will create a coating around them and there are fewer chances of them breaking down while frying. It also makes them crispier.

Heat 3-4 cups of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet and fry the koftas on medium-high heat till golden brown (8-10 minutes).

Remove on a tissue lined plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.

Heat 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add chopped onion, cashew nuts, chopped ginger, and chopped garlic in boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Drain the water and add the cooked onion and cashews to a blender.

Add ¼ cup cold water and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil and butter (salted or unsalted) in a skillet over medium-high heat.

When the oil is hot add cloves, cinnamon, whole green cardamoms, and whole bay leaves and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.

Add the onion and cashew paste to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat. Cover the skillet if the paste is spluttering too much.

Now add crumbled khoya and green chili peppers (slit into half) and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add salt to taste, sugar, yogurt whisked with flour, and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Note – Whisking the yogurt with flour prevents it from curdling when heated.

Add crushed Kasuri methi, white pepper powder and 1 cup water and bring the curry to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Finally, add heavy cream and mix well. Add some milk if the gravy is too thick and adjust for salt. Bring to a simmer and remove the skillet from heat.

Note – You can now pass the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer if you want it extra smooth and velvety.

Add the kofta to the gravy just before serving and serve hot.

Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add cloves, whole black peppercorns, whole black cardamoms, and cinnamon stick and fry for 20 seconds.

Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add tomato puree and tomato ketchup and fry for another minute. Add cashew nut paste, Kashmiri red chili powder, and milk and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Lastly, add heavy cream, honey, salt, lime juice, and Kasuri methi and cook for a minute. Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding water and cook till the mixture comes to a boil.

Add the koftas to the gravy and give it a boil. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.