Malai Kofta Curry/Malayi Kofta

Personally i think Malai kofta doesnt need any specific introduction, its a very rich curry prepared with paneer-potato combo fried balls dropped into a very rich creamy onion,tomato and cashew paste based gravy. Actually Malai kofta curry may sounds very complicated to make at home but its not that much difficult curry, they may go for a list of spices but trust me if you have everything at home, you can make this delectable dish within few minutes. Coming to today's dish, Malai kofta was our this month's challenge for  South vs North Challenge an event owned by Divya Pramil. I missed the January month challenge and i dont want to miss this month's challenge, so yesterday i prepared this malai kofta dish challenged by Nupur of Uk Rasoi.

The theme of this event is to exchange an Indian recipe between two teams. One team is Southern team (food bloggers  born and brought in South India) and the another one team is Northern team (food bloggers born and brought in North India). Every first of a month, a blogger from each team will challenge a recipe from their origin and the opposite team have to cook the recipe challenged by the other team. If you want to be a part of this challenge, dont forget to join us, just send a mail to the Divya and get ready to face the challenge every month.Thanks Nupur, i got so many appreciation from my family coz of this utterly delicious malai kofta, i served this dish with phulkas since this dish is very much rich in calorie. If you are making Malai kofta for your dinner or lunch, dont forget to make low calorie dishes just to compensate calories in this fingerlicking rich curry.

For Koftas:
1/2cup Paneer/Cottage Cheese (grated)
2nos Potatoes (boiled,peeled and grated)
1/4tsp Chilly powder
1tbsp Cornflour
1/4tsp Garam masala powder
1tbsp Milk Powder
Salt
Oil for frying

For Gravy:
1no Bay leaves
1inch Cinnamon
1no Black Cardamom
2no Green cardamoms
A pinch Mace
2nos Cloves
2nos Onions(medium sized)
2cups Tomato puree
1/2inch Ginger (grated)
5nos Garlic cloves
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/4tsp Garam masala
1cup Milk
2tbsp Cashew paste
1tsp Kasuri Methi
Salt
Oil

For Garnish:
1tsp Grated paneer
1tbsp Cream
Few coriander leaves

Mix the paneer and potato,red chilly powder,garam masala,milk powder,salt in a bowl, make medium sized koftas or balls from this mixture.

Heat the oil for deepfrying.

Take the corn flour in a plate, roll the prepared koftas and drop gently into the hot oil.

Once the koftas turns golden brown, remove from the oil and keep aside.

In a pan, heat few drops of oil, fry the bay leaves,cinnamon,cloves,cardamoms and mace until they turns brown.

Add the onions,ginger and garlic and cook until they onions turns golden brown, put off the stove.

Now take this in a blender, blend as bit coarse paste.

Heat few drops of oil, pour the blended mixture into it, add in the tomato puree, cook in simmer for few minutes.

Now add the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala, cook in medium flame until the oil starts leaving from the sides of the masala paste.

Add in the cashew paste, water and bring it to boil and put the flame in simmer.

Finally add the cream by stirring the gravy,cook for few more minutes.

Add the crushed kasuri methi and salt, give a stir and cook in simmer for a minute.

Put off the stove.

While serving:

Heat the gravy again for few minutes, transfer it to a serving dish.

Arrange the kofta into it, sprinkle the coriander leaves, grated paneer, drop in the cream.

Serve immediately with plain rice, naan or phulkas.