Ever wondered what goes behind making that delicious, Indian curry that adds taste to a dull, Sunday afternoon lunch? I asked the same question to my mother and the answer I got reaffirmed my faith in Mughlai cuisine, and that too home-made (it does ensure some controlled oil use, I can assure you that).
‘Malai ke kofte’ is a creamy dish set in a white curry, with a slightly sweet taste, that may wary from each individual’s choice. Although a little effort is required in collecting all the ingredients necessary to prepare this Mughlai delight, once that is done, the final dish is just a shape, fry and boil away!
If you are bored with eating the same old daal and roti and want to make your Sunday more exciting without entering the blistering June heat, try out this scrumptious recipe. Enjoy!!INGREDIENTS:
For the Malai Koftas:
• Grated paneer (cottage cheese) - 1/2 cup
• Boiled and grated potatoes - 1/2 cup
• Corn flour - 1 tbsp
• Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder (haldi) - A pinch
• Grated carrot - 1/4 cup
• Finely chopped capsicum - 2 tbsp
• Grated ginger (adrak) - 1 tsp
• Grated garlic (lehsun) - 1/2 tsp
• Chopped coriander (dhania) - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep-frying
For the tomato gravy:
• Sliced onions - 1/2 cup
• Ginger (adrak), chopped - 12 mm. (½") piece
• Garlic (lehsun) - 3 cloves
• Chopped tomatoes - 2 cups
• Almonds (badam) - 4 to 5
• Turmeric powder (haldi) - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Other ingredients:
4 tbsp butter
• Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Cream - 4 to 5 tbsp
• Chopped coriander (dhania) - 1 tbsp
• Butter for garnish - 1 tsp
METHOD OF PREPARATION:
For the Malai Kofta:
• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
• Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts and shape them into flat koftas.
• Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep-fry the koftas in it over a medium flame till they are golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside. For the tomato gravy:
• Combine all the ingredients in a pan with ½ cup of water and cook on a low flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Blend this mixture in a mixer to a smooth purée.
• Strain and keep aside.
How to proceed:
• Heat the butter in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
• When they crackle, add the prepared tomato gravy, Punjabi garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves, sugar and salt and bring to boil.
• Add the cream and mix well.
• Add the koftas and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve hot garnished with coriander and butter
Recipe by – Shalu Tolasaria
Guest Writer
June 10, 2012 | 12:10 PM IST
