Malai Kofta (Paneer and Potato Dumplings in Creamy Cashew-Tomato Gravy)
Tender fried paneer-and-potato dumplings float in a silky, mildly spiced gravy of tomato, cashews and cream. It's a restaurant-style vegetarian dish that is easy to make at home, and the koftas stay intact if you follow the binding and frying cues below.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 50 min
- Makes
- 12 koftas in gravy (serves 4)
Steps
Before you start
- Boil 2 medium potatoes (about 350 g / 12 oz, unpeeled) in salted water for 20-25 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Cool them completely, ideally in the fridge for an hour or overnight. Warm or wet potato makes soft koftas that fall apart.
- Grate the paneer on the large holes of a box grater and pat it dry with a towel if it feels wet.
- The cashews soak while you make the kofta mixture, so start with step 1.
- Koftas are fried in batches and the sauce is blended hot (with the lid vented), so have a blender and a wide, deep pan ready.
Soak the cashews
- Put the ½ cup (60 g) cashews in a small bowl and cover with about 1 cup (240 ml) of just-boiled water.
- Leave them to soften while you make the koftas.
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Ready when: Cashews squeeze easily between two fingers
Tip: Soaking in hot water, not cold, gives a smoother gravy in a standard blender.
Mix kofta dough
- In a large bowl, combine the grated paneer, mashed potatoes, cornstarch, minced green chili, 2 tbsp cilantro, ½ tsp garam masala and ½ tsp salt.
- Knead gently with your hands for about 1 minute until it forms a smooth, soft dough that holds together when squeezed.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky, and holds a ball shape without cracking
Tip: If it feels sticky, add 1 more tsp cornstarch. Don't over-knead or the paneer turns rubbery.
Shape and chill
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 35 g / 1¼ oz each).
- Roll each between lightly oiled palms into a smooth, crack-free ball about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
- Place on a plate and refrigerate for 10 minutes so they firm up.
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Ready when: Balls feel firm and smooth with no cracks
Tip: Any crack will open in the oil, so smooth them out now.
Toast spices, cook onion
- Heat the ghee in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn pale gold at the edges
Tip: Don't brown the onion deeply, or the gravy loses its pale, creamy color.
Cook tomatoes and cashews
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, coriander and 1 tsp salt.
- Cook 8 minutes, stirring and mashing, until the tomatoes collapse.
- Add the drained cashews and 1 cup (240 ml) water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Tomatoes are completely soft and oil begins to separate at the edges of the pan
Tip: Stir once or twice during the covered simmer so nothing sticks.
Blend the gravy
- Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
- Fish out the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves.
- Blend in batches (fill the blender no more than half, lid vented with a towel on top) for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth.
- Return the purée to the pan.
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Ready when: Sauce is velvety with no grit from cashews or tomato skin
Tip: Blending hot liquid in a sealed blender can blow the lid off. Always vent the lid. For a restaurant-smooth finish, pass through a fine sieve.
Fry the koftasOven 350°F / 175°C
- Heat the frying oil in a wide skillet or kadai over medium heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Lower 4 koftas in at a time and fry, turning gently, for 3-4 minutes.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
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Ready when: Koftas are evenly deep golden brown and feel firm when nudged
Tip: Don't touch them for the first 30 seconds while the crust sets. Oil that's too cool makes them absorb grease and break; too hot browns the outside before they heat through.
Finish the gravy
- Set the pan of blended gravy over medium-low heat.
- Add the cream, sugar, crushed kasuri methi and ½ tsp garam masala.
- Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring.
- Add water, 1 tbsp at a time (up to ¼ cup / 60 ml), if it's thicker than heavy cream.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
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Ready when: Gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with a pourable, creamy consistency
Tip: Keep it at a gentle simmer after adding cream; a hard boil can make it split.
Assemble and serve
- Right before serving, place the fried koftas in a warm serving dish and spoon the hot gravy over them (or slide them into the pan and warm 1-2 minutes on low).
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with naan, roti or basmati rice.
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Ready when: Koftas are hot through and coated in gravy but still hold their shape
Tip: Add the koftas at the last minute. If they sit in sauce for long, they turn soft and fall apart.
Good to know
Tips
- Use starchy potatoes like russet or Yukon Gold, boiled whole in their skins, so they absorb less water and the dough stays firm.
- Test-fry one kofta first. If it breaks, add 1 more tbsp cornstarch to the dough before frying the rest.
- For a richer look, stir a spoonful of cream in a swirl on top of each serving.
- Adjust heat with the green chili and Kashmiri chili powder; Kashmiri powder gives color with mild heat.
Make ahead
"Boil and chill the potatoes up to 1 day ahead. The gravy can be made through step 8 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The koftas can be shaped and refrigerated, covered, up to 8 hours before frying, or fried up to 1 day ahead. Combine the gravy and koftas only when reheating to serve."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store gravy and koftas separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days, or together up to 2 days (koftas will soften). Freezer: gravy freezes well for up to 2 months; fried koftas freeze up to 1 month. Reheat gravy gently on the stove with a splash of water, then warm koftas in it for 3-4 minutes on low. Thaw frozen items overnight in the fridge first."
Substitutions
- heavy cream → full-fat coconut cream or cashew cream. Gives a dairy-free, slightly sweeter gravy; use the same amount.
- cornstarch → all-purpose flour. Use the same amount; koftas will be slightly denser and a little less crisp.
- ghee or unsalted butter → neutral oil or unsalted butter. Oil is fine for a vegan base (with coconut cream and a vegan paneer substitute like firm tofu pressed dry); the flavor will be less rich.
- kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) → a pinch of ground fenugreek or simply omit. The flavor will be less restaurant-like but still good; use only a small pinch of ground fenugreek, as it is bitter.