Paneer Koftae Curry, Mamta's
Paneer Kofta Malai
Mamta Gupta
Paneer cheese is used a lot in Indian vegetarian cooking, because it is a good source of proteins. They are delicious in a creamy curry sauce, hence the name Malai Kofta. However, you can have them in any curry sauce of choice. The word Malai (Malai Kofta) means creamy.
The gravy/sauce and cheese balls can be made in advance and kept separately. Heat the gravy/sauce just before serving and add the cheese balls. Allow a few minutes for them to soak the gravy. Garnish with coriander and serve.
Cheese balls can be served as a snack, with Green Mango Chutneyand/or Imli Chutney and/or Green Mango Chutney or a ketchup.
Recipe rewritten April 2020
Ingredients
For the Koftas/cheese balls
100 gm paneer, grated or finely crumbled
1 medium potato
1 medium sized onion (150gm.), peeled and roughly chopped
1 green chilli (adjust amount to taste)
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled (optional)
1 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped (optional). I have not added it in pictures here.
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
2-3 tbsp. plain white flour, enough to give right consistency to make into balls.
Oil for deep frying
For the curry sauce
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 medium onions peeled
1/2 inch piece ginger peeled
2 cloves of garlic (optional)
1 tsp. coriander powder
Chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. cashew nut, chopped roughly into small pieces If you have ground cashew or almond powder, that will also work here)
150 gm tinned or 2 fresh tomatoes
3-4 tbsp. creamed coconut (I use tinned one)
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Instructions
Making cheese balls
Boil the potatoes in their skin, until cooked (soft to touch. I cook them in a microwave steamer for 7-8 minutes on full power. Keeping the skin on while boiling (this is the Indian way), stops them from disintegrating if over boiled.
Cool, peel and mash roughly.
Add all other kofta cheese ball ingredients and mix well, but lightly.
Divide into 14-16 portions and roll individually between two palms, to make small balls. Keep aside.
Heat oil to medium hot. It should not be smoking. It is ready when a tiny portion of the mix dropped in the oil floats fizzing to the surface within a couple of seconds.
Fry a few balls at a time, turning over gently, until golden brown. Keep aside to cool down. If you are making extra, as mentioned in notes above, let them cool down completely before freezing.
Making gravy or curry sauce
Grind/finely chop onion and ginger (and garlic, if used) together in a food processor.
Heat oil, cumin seeds to it.
As soon as they splutter/crackle and turn colour a little, add onion, ginger (and garlic) and fry until light brown.
Add chilli powder, coriander powder and salt, stir fry for a couple of minutes.
Add tomatoes and cashew nuts mix, stir-fry for a couple of minutes and add 1 1/2 cup water. You can add more later, if you need to.
Blend it with a stick blender, to make it all smooth. If you dont have a stick blender, you can grind the cashew nuts beforehand, so will bypass this step.
Bring to boil. Simmer on low for 6-10 minutes.
Add creamed coconut, stir it in.
Adjust seasoning, add the garam masala and half the coriander leaves and stir. You wont see coriander leaves in pictures, because my husband is allergic to their taste!
Keep this gravy aside.
Final step
Just before serving, warm the curry sauce and add cheese balls.
Transfer to a serving dish after a minute or two. If you leave it heating for too long, the balls may become too soft and break down.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Chapatties or Parathas immediately.
