Indian

Serving

Malai Kofta

Name: Malai Kofta
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes (boiled and mashed); 1 cup grated paneer; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 1/2 cup cashew paste; 2 cups tomato puree; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 medium onion, finely diced; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala; oil, for deep frying; pinch ground cardamom; salt, to taste

Swoon over these melt-in-your-mouth potato and paneer dumplings, lavishly draped in an indulgent, velvety cashew-cream curry.

60 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

21 min prep

33 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Tree nut

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Instructions

6 steps

1
Make Kofta Dough: In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, grated paneer, cornstarch, 1/2 tsp salt, and a pinch of cardamom powder. Knead into a smooth dough.
2
Shape and Fry Koftas: Divide the dough into ping-pong sized balls (koftas). Heat oil in a deep fryer or wok to 350°F (175°C). Deep fry the koftas in small batches until deeply golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
3
Prepare the Gravy Base: Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large pan. Sauté 1 finely diced onion until soft. Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
4
Simmer the Masala: Pour in the tomato puree, 1 tsp coriander powder, and 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and deepens in color.
5
Add Cashew & Cream: Stir in the cashew paste and cook for another 5 minutes. Lower the heat and mix in the heavy cream and 1/2 tsp garam masala. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
6
Serve: The koftas are delicate and will dissolve if left in the gravy too long. To serve, place the warm koftas in a serving dish and pour the hot gravy over them. Garnish with a swirl of cream.

Malai Kofta — plated and served — Serving moment. How Malai Kofta looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

55/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 51

Budget-friendly 54

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 27

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

400

Calories

16 g

Protein

35 g

Carbs

22 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Malai kofta belongs to the Mughal-influenced cooking tradition of North India, where royal kitchens developed intricate preparations of fried dumplings served in rich cream-based sauces as a way to showcase culinary refinement. 'Malai' means cream and 'kofta' refers to the dumplings themselves, a word with Persian-Turkish origins describing any minced or ground mixture shaped and cooked. The dish became the vegetarian analogue to meat kofta curries and is a centerpiece of North Indian festive cooking.

Listahan note

This version uses a firm paneer-potato mixture for the koftas and adds a pinch of cardamom and dried fruit to the interior filling, which is what separates a festive malai kofta from a plain fried ball.

Technique cues

Drain and mash the boiled potato until completely lump-free before combining with paneer — any lumps will prevent the koftas from holding together in the oil and they will break apart during frying.
Test-fry one kofta before committing the entire batch; if it breaks in the oil, the mixture needs more binding (add a tablespoon of cornstarch) and if it soaks oil, the mixture is too wet (chill for 20 minutes before the next test).
The cream sauce should be prepared and waiting for the koftas — add them no more than 5 minutes before serving as prolonged simmering causes them to absorb sauce and lose their distinct texture.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Soak cashews in hot water while preparing the kofta mixture — by the time the koftas are shaped and ready to fry, the cashews will be soft enough to blend.
Make-ahead: Fry the koftas up to 4 hours ahead and hold at room temperature uncovered; make and reheat the sauce to order and add koftas only at serving time.
Leftover move: Leftover koftas that have absorbed the sauce can be crumbled and used as a filling for parathas the next day.
Cleanup rhythm: Fry the koftas in 2 inches of oil in a small deep saucepan rather than a wide pan — less oil surface area means less splatter and the oil conserves heat better.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

paneer

kofta structure

Purpose: Paneer grated into the potato mixture provides protein and fat that help bind the koftas and prevents them from being purely starchy.

Handling: Grate rather than crumble for a finer, more uniform texture that binds more evenly.

Adaptation: Ricotta drained in a cheesecloth for 30 minutes can substitute but produces slightly softer koftas.

boiled potatoes

kofta binder

Purpose: Potatoes provide the starchy binding that holds the koftas together during frying without needing eggs.

Handling: Boil, cool, and rice or mash until completely smooth; excess moisture will cause the koftas to break in hot oil.

Adaptation: Mashed sweet potatoes add color and a slight sweetness, though the flavor profile shifts noticeably.

raw cashews

sauce body

Purpose: Soaked and blended cashews give the sauce its characteristic creamy, slightly sweet richness without relying on dairy cream alone.

Handling: Soak in hot water for 20 minutes before blending for a completely smooth paste with no graininess.

Adaptation: Sunflower seeds soaked and blended produce a similar creaminess for those with nut allergies.

heavy cream

sauce finish

Purpose: Cream added to the cashew base gives the sauce the glossy, pourable consistency and the mild dairy richness that defines a 'malai' preparation.

Handling: Add off heat or over very low flame, stirring continuously so it integrates evenly.

Adaptation: Full-fat coconut cream produces a nearly identical texture and color.

dried fruits (raisins or cranberries)

sweet filling surprise

Purpose: A few dried fruits tucked into the center of each kofta provide a pop of sweetness that contrasts the savory exterior and creamy sauce — this is the hallmark of authentic preparation.

Handling: Use 2-3 raisins or a small piece of dried apricot per kofta; place in the center when forming the ball.

Adaptation: A small cube of paneer or a cashew half at the center is equally traditional.

Technique notes

Rolling the koftas between wet palms creates a smoother surface than dry hands, which produces fewer cracks in the oil and more uniform browning.
Brown the cardamom and cloves in ghee until fragrant before adding the onion for the sauce — these whole spices permeate the sauce in a way that ground spices added later cannot.
A pinch of saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon of warm milk swirled into the finished sauce gives malai kofta its traditional golden-cream color and a subtle floral note.

Ingredient swaps

Baked kofta direction: Brush koftas with oil and bake on a lined tray at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway — they will not be as crisp but the overall dish remains rich and satisfying.
Nut-free direction: Replace cashew paste with thick coconut cream and reduce by a third before adding other sauce ingredients — the sauce loses some creaminess but gains a pleasant tropical note.

Serve alongside

saffron basmati rice
butter naan
simple green salad with lemon dressing
rose sharbat
dry white wine
sparkling water with rose water

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store koftas and sauce separately in sealed containers for up to 2 days; koftas stored in the sauce become too soft to identify as distinct dumplings.
Koftas alone can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw and re-fry briefly or bake at 375°F for 10 minutes to crisp before adding to freshly made sauce.

Equipment

deep small saucepan for controlled shallow or deep frying with minimal oil
blender for a completely smooth cashew-cream sauce
potato ricer or fine-mesh sieve for lump-free potato

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