Restaurant Style Malai Kofta Curry

There is a long circulating myth that vegetarian dishes can not be lavish as much as non veg ones. However, when I retrospect with all the paneer dishes that I had, the best possible preparation that comes in my mind is not the conventional type paneer curry ( palak, mutter etc.) but malai kofta which is an unusual preparation which requires your patience and preservation. 

This dish is one of the most popular, rich and delicious ordered Mughlai preparation in restaurants. A lavish dish which is served in restaurants or in homes where delicacy is the key word while serving it to the friends and families. Hope you enjoy my preparation like my friends did on pot luck party.


Ingredients:
200 gms Paneer (cottage cheese)
2 Bread slices
2 Potatoes, boiled
6 tsp All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp Salt


*For Filling:
Collect the cream (malai) of the milk in a bowl for the last 3-4 days.
Fistful of cashews and raisins
2 tsp chopped Coriander leaves
Mix the filling ingredients and keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.


For Gravy:
3 Onion
3 Tomatoes
2 tbsp Curd
1 " Ginger
3-4 Green chillies
2 tsp Poppy seeds (soaked in warm water for 1/2 hour)
5-6 Cashews
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala
4 tbsp fresh Cream
1 tsp Salt


Method:
Grate the boiled potatoes and mash well with paneer. Moisten the dry bread and squeeze the extra water out and add salt, flour, garam masala into the paneer bowl. Mix well and make round balls. 

Flatten each ball and fill the center of the ball with the cream filling*. Make sure that you seal the edges and deep fry the koftas on medium heat till golden in colour. Place them on paper towel to soak excess oil. Keep aside.

To make the gravy you need to first boil the onions in a bowl of water for 12 minutes, drain out the water and then puree in a mixer. Keep aside. Do the same with the tomatoes also and boil till the skin looks loose and will come off easily. Let them cool a bit then put it in the blender or food processor to puree them. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion puree till light brown. In between make a paste of ginger, green chillies,.cashews and poppy seeds with 1 or 2 tsp water. Add this paste to the pan and fry till it leaves oil. Sprinkle red chilly powder, salt, coriander powder and keep stirring. Add tomato puree and fry till the oil leaves from the side of the pan. Add curd at this point and stirring continuously, pour 2 1/2 cups of water, cover and cook for 7-8 minutes on low flame. Season with garam masala, coriander leaves and cream. Add koftas just before serving otherwise koftas will soak all the gravy. Serve with Nan / Peas Pulao or with chapati.

Look at the fresh cream in the center ;-)