Baked Malai Kofta Curry
Malai Kofta is a popular Indian vegetarian side dish made with kofta balls dunked in creamy tomato based gravy. Serve them with Naan bread or homemade flatbread!
INDIAN MALAI KOFTA RECIPE
This Baked Malai Kofta recipe is a healthy take on the popular Vegetarian curry.
Malai Kofta is a Mughlai Speciality dish made with Deep fried Potato Paneer Balls simmered in Spiced Onion Tomato Gravy. Whilst cooking for a larger numbers, I chose to bake the kofta's rather than making in individual kuzhi paniyaram pans. Both the methods are really healthy as you may just brush very little oil for them.
Both my boys celebrate their birthday together and this is really very special for me overhear. I decided to prepare an elaborate meal by myself and wanted everything special . Baked Malai Kofta was my first attempt for the party and it did come out well.
Guests were really excited about enjoying a healthier Kofta amidst all the treatise delicacies that evening.
Some of the other dishes you could make if you are planning a party are Paneer Biryani , Vegetable Biryani , Dhaba Style Dal Fry, Dhaba Style Aloo Mutter, Dry Potato Cauliflower Curry
BAKED MALAI KOFTA RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
For Kofta
- 150 g cooked Potato finely grated
- 125 g Paneer finely grated
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon corn flour
- salt to taste
- 1 Slice Bread ground to make Bread crumbs
- Oil for brushing as needed
For Gravy
- 2 medium onion 250g
- 1 green chilli
- 1 inch ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 15 Cashew nuts
- ½ Cup water
- 1 can tomatoes pureed ( 3 medium tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
- 5 Cardamom
- 3 Cloves
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ - 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi
- Garnish
- 3 tablespoon Cream
- 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves
Instructions
For Gravy
- Place onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli, cashew nuts and water in a small sauce pan. Cover and cook in medium heat for roughly 10 -12 minutes until onions are soft.
- Allow the onion mixture to cool down and puree them smooth.
- In a deep pan, heat the oil and butter. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the onion puree, salt and allow the mixture to cook for a few minutes.
- Add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cook till the masala paste leaves the sides of the pan.
- At this stage add water as needed and allow the gravy to simmer when it begins to thicken.
- Stir in Kasuri methi, garam masala and turn off the flame.
- Taste for flavours and add more salt as required.
For Kofta
- Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead to a dough. Divide the dough into 12 small bowls.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C . Arrange all the koftas on the baking sheet Brush Oil all over them. Bake until they turn slightly brown. Keep checking and turning them in regular intervals.
- If you plan to make them in Kuzhi Paniyaram Pans, slide the kofta balls in to the cavity and brush them with very little oil. Pan fry them until they turn golden brown . Remember to flip on all sides to get even browning. Serving Malai Kofta
SERVING
- Add the paneer kofta to the gravy at the time of serving. If you wish to serve the malai kofta later, add them just before that.
- Garnish the malai kofta with cream and coriander leaves.
- Serve malai kofta with kulcha.
Tyler says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I'm so happy I can make malai kofta without deep-frying.
This recipe turned out great, however, I had a very difficult time baking the koftas as the potato wouldn't cook fully. I tried re-baking them and they turned out better but still not completely cooked.
What do you recommend? Maybe next time I should try blanching the peeled potatoes before grating them?
Thank you for your time. 🙂
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Hi Tyler, The potatoes need to be cooked as mentioned in the recipe, before shaping them into kofta balls.
Glad you loved the taste!
Shivangi Mittal says
Tried the baked Kofta, and the fried too, my fried koftas did burst open while frying, so I added more Corn starch as suggested- and it started to work brilliantly.
My baked Koftas turned out very good.
Thank you for the recipe
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Thank you for your feedback Shivangi! So glad you enjoyed our Baked Kofta!