Creamy Paneer (Indian Cheese) Kofta Curry
Paneer Kofta Malai
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.
The cheese balls can be served as a snack, with Green Mango Chutney, Imli Chutney and/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, and add the 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 don't 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 won't see coriander leaves in pictures, because my husband doesn't like 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 Chapati, Roti or Phulka (Indian Flatbread) or Plain Paratha immediately.