Malai Kofta / Veg Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Malai Kofta is an Indian vegetarian form of meatballs where veggies along with paneer (cottage cheese) is fried and cooked in creamy tomato sauce. This Malai Kofta will be very good with naan or any kind of rotis. Here is the step by step procedure for making koftas..

Time of Preparation : 1 hour
No of Servings : 4
Spice level : 2 out of 5

Ingredients:
For Koftas:

• Carrot Peas and Beans – 1 cup (boiled and strained completely)
• Potato – 1 cup (boiled and mashed)
• Paneer – 1 cup (grated)
• Green Chillies – 2 (finely chopped)
• Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Coriander – 2 tbsp (chopped)
• Cashews – 1 tbsp (chopped)
• Raisins – 2 tsp (chopped)
• Maida / Corn flour – 2 tbsp
• Oil – for frying

For Gravy:

• Onions (large) – 2 (chopped)
• Tomato puree -2 cups
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Butter – 2 tbsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
• Heavy cream – 1/4 cup
• Salt – to taste
• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
• Cashews – 1 tbsp (coarsely ground)

Method of Preparation:
For Koftas:

1. Mix the boiled veggies, mashed potatoes and grated paneer and mash them completely.
2. Add green chillies, all masala powders, coriander and salt and knead them.
3. Keep some cashews and raisins inside.
4. Make 16 to 18 small lemon size balls and coat them with corn flour or maida.
5. Heat oil in a vessel and fry the balls to golden brown.
6. Koftas are ready.

For Gravy:

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions.
2. Let it cool and grind it to smooth paste.
3. Boil the tomatoes and remove the skin and blend them.
4. Now heat butter in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
5. Fry the ground onions for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Now add the tomato puree followed by salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala and fry till the oil separates.
8. Now add some water and let it boil for 5 minutes.
9. Finally add the heavy cream and boil for another 5 minutes.
10. Turn off the heat and add the koftas to the gravy.
11. Add the coarse cashew powder and garnish with coriander leaves.