South Indian-Style Malai Kofta

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

50 minutes

SERVES

4 people

Ingredients

KOFTA

3 large-sized potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
3/4 cup paneer cheese, grated – can also use cottage cheese
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 bunch coriander, finely chopped
1/2tsp The Spice People’s South Indian Sambar
1tsp salt
2 tbsp cashews, chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
oil or ghee, for frying

CURRY SAUCE

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil or ghee
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1-inch piece ginger, minced
1 1/2tbsp The Spice People’s South Indian Sambar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup water
2tbsp cashews, chopped

The love this recipe

Malai Kofta has to be one of the most decadent dishes in Indian cuisine and it’s certainly one of my favourites.

The amazing potato dumplings are crisp and golden on the outside and super soft and fluffy inside and are accompanied by the most wonderful silky, creamy, buttery sauce that’s perfumed with fragrant Indian spices. Usually when making this dish, it uses a myriad of different spices, so to make life a little easier, I decided to use our South Indian Sambar mix that works perfectly with the rich, creamy sauce and sweet tomatoes and onions.

This one takes a little extra effort by making the kofta balls as well as the curry sauce, but I can tell you, it’s well worth it!

Directions

FOR KOFTA: Place the mashed potato in a large bowl with the paneer or cottage cheese and mix to combine. Add the chilli, Sambar Spice, salt, coriander, flour and cashews and mix well to make a dough-like texture.
Place a pan on a high heat and add your oil to come to heat – there should be enough oil in there to shallow fry – about 1/4-inch. Roll your dough into small balls and when the oil is hot, place them in, turning frequently to ensure they’re golden brown on all sides. Once cooked and crisp, remove from the oil and drain on paper towel and set aside.
FOR CURRY SAUCE: Place a pot on a medium-high heat and add your oil in. Once hot, add your onion and sauté until soft – about 4 mins. Once cooked, add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant – about 1 min.
Add your chopped tomatoes in and sauté briefly before adding in your cashews and cooking until the tomatoes are nice and soft. Remove from the heat and cool before pureeing in a blender or food processor to make a paste – add water if need be.
Return the pot to a low heat and add your butter and oil and bring to heat. Add your Sambar Spice mix and sauté until fragrant – about 1 min. Return your tomato-onion puree and salt to the pot with the spice and mix to combine. Place a lid on and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and add your cream and water in and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to the boil then reduce to a simmer and let it sit on low for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to come together.
Pour your curry sauce over your golden koftas and enjoy! Garnish with extra chopped cashews and fresh coriander.