Baked Malai Kofta Recipes

VEGAN MALAI KOFTA (INDIAN DUMPLINGS IN TOMATO ONION CURRY SAUCE)

Steps:

• Kofta: Process the hemp seeds or nuts until you have a coarse meal. Add potato and process until coarse. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until most of the chickpeas have broken down but not a paste. (Without processor, use nut or seed flour and grated potato. Then mash chickpeas and mix)
• The potato will leak moisture in the mixture in some seconds making it easy to make smooth balls. Do not let the mixture sit for too long at this point. Add more flour or starch if the mixture is too moist. Add a tbsp nutritional yeast for cheesier flavor profile.
• Take 2 to 3 Tbsp of the mixture and make round or football shaped balls - 1.5 inch size or smaller so they cook through. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 F (218 C). For 20 minutes. Or pan fry in 1/2 inch oil for 5 to 6 minutes until golden on most sides.
• Gravy: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook until slightly golden on some edges, 2 minutes. Add the onion and ginger, and cook until golden, 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the turmeric, cayenne, and garam masala, and mix for a few seconds.
• Add the tomato, cashews, 1/4 cup water and salt and cook until the tomatoes are saucy, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Cool slightly, then transfer to a blender.
• Blend the mixture with 1/4 cup water, half the fenugreek leaves and sugar until smooth. Fold in the remaining fenugreek leaves. (This sauce is incredibly versatile, you can just add some chickpeas, baked tofu, roasted or par-cooked veggies and simmer and use!)
• Bring the blended sauce to a boil, add baked kofta balls and serve. Garnish with some cashew cream or other on dairy cream and cilantro. Serve with Naan or rice. To store: store the balls and sauce Separately until ready to serve.

MALAI KOFTA

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash potatoes; cool to room temperature., Preheat air fryer to 375°. In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, paneer, cardamom and salt until combined. Spoon 2 tablespoons of potato mixture in lightly greased hands and flatten to 1/8-in. thick. Press a raisin and cashew in the center; bring sides up to enclose. Gently roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. Spritz fryer basket with cooking spray. Working in batches if needed, place balls in a single layer in basket lined with parchment. Cook until golden brown, 10-15 minutes., Meanwhile, for the gravy, in a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker, combine tomatoes, yogurt, water, cashews, ginger garlic paste and 1 teaspoon red chili powder. Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 6 minutes. Quick-release pressure. Puree mixture using an immersion blender until smooth. Strain mixture, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Wipe insert clean., Select saute setting and adjust for medium heat; add ghee. When ghee is hot, add garam masala and remaining 1 teaspoon red chili powder; cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in strained tomato mixture and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, until mixture is slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes. Add fenugreek and, if desired, cream; cook 1 minute. Pour mixture over kofta.

MALAI KOFTA

Steps:

• For the kofta: Combine the mashed potatoes, cilantro, chiles, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Knead the mixture until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then set aside.
• Put the paneer in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the nuts and dried fruit and pulse until the fruit is coarsely chopped and the nuts are broken into small pieces. (If the paneer is not salted, add a pinch of salt.) Transfer the paneer mixture to a small bowl.
• Form the mashed potato mixture into 8 equal balls. (A kitchen scale isn't necessary, but is helpful.) Form the paneer mixture into 8 equal balls. They don't have to be perfectly shaped, but it is much easier to stuff the potato balls when the paneer mixture has been squished into little balls.
• Hold a potato ball in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation with your thumb. Place a paneer ball into the concave hollow and push it in gently. Pinch the potato mixture around it and roll the potato ball in your palm to make a nice round shape. Repeat with the remaining potato and paneer balls. If the potato mixture is sticking to your hands and preventing you from rolling a smooth ball, dampen the palms of your hands with a little room-temperature water and continue rolling.
• Place the besan in a shallow bowl. Gently roll the stuffed balls in the besan. Transfer the coated balls to a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the sauce. (It is easier to fry the balls when they have rested and are cold.)
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, stir together the garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, turmeric and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until combined. Set the spice mixture aside.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let sizzle until they darken slightly, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to get a hint of color, 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not brown them, as that will affect the color of the sauce.)
• Add the garlic, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix well and cook, stirring often, until the raw smell goes away, about 2 minutes. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until the oil comes out, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the cashews and add to the saucepan, then add the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium high and cook until the tomato mixture is thickened and pasty, about 7 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Meanwhile, fry the kofta. Fill a large Dutch oven halfway with vegetable oil, attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place a paper towel over the rack. Carefully add half the balls, one at a time, and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the balls to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining balls.
• Transfer the cooled sauce to a blender, add 1 cup water and process until smooth. Transfer the sauce back to the saucepan. Add the cream and kasoori methi if using and heat over medium heat until simmering. It should have the consistency of a smooth carrot soup; Add more water, if needed, and adjust the salt to taste.
• Gently add the fried kofta and heat, occasionally shaking the pan gently to coat the balls, until hot, about 3 minutes.
• For serving: Garnish with the garam masala and cilantro leaves.

BAKED MALAI KOFTA

Steps:

• - For the Gravy:.
• Heat Oil in a medium pan.
• Add Onions and salt - saute until moisture is evaporated.
• Add Ginger and Garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add Pureed Tomatoes and cook until Oil separates from the mixture.
• Add in Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chili
• Powder and Garam Masala - mix well.
• Add Evaporated Milk and stir.
• Add Milk to make the gravy to desired consistency.
• Add sugar to taste and check salt.
• Bring Gravy to a boil and switch off the stove.
• - For the Koftas:.
• In a microwave safe bowl, cook Peas and Carrot with 2-3 tablespoons of water for 3-4 minutes.
• Squeeze out all excess water from the above mixture.
• In a food processor with a chopper blade, process paneer.
• Add Boiled Potato and again process until a dough is formed.
• Remove dough from food processor and place into a bowl.
• Add Peas & Carrots, Cilantro, Cashews/Golden Raisins (reserve a little for garnishing), Salt, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder and Chaat Masala - knead well.
• Line a baking tray with foil and spray with Cooking Oil.
• Roll Koftas into small Golf Ball size balls and place on baking tray.
• Lightly spray Cooking Oil on all of the koftas.
• Place tray in the oven and Broil on High until koftas turn a golden brown.
• Flip koftas to the other side and broil once again until golden brown.
• Remove koftas from oven and allow them to cool slightly.
• Arrange koftas in a casserole dish and cover them with the gravy.
• Garnish with remaining cashews and raisins.
• Cover the dish and bake in the oven at 350 degrees (F) for 15-20 minutes.
• Serve hot with Naan or Rice.

KHEEMA MALAI KOFTA

Steps:

• Mix the ground beef, egg, green chile peppers, bread crumbs, ginger, garlic, garam masala, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Shape the mixture into balls (koftas) about the size of limes.
• Heat 1 1/2 cups oil in a large, deep skillet or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry the koftas in the hot oil until browned and crispy on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes.
• To make the gravy, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Fry the garlic, ginger, red chili powder, garam masala, fennel seed, and salt in the hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes; stir the pureed tomatoes into the mixture and cook until the tomatoes are deep red in color, about 10 minutes. Add the water, fenugreek leaves, and the koftas to the mixture and simmer until thoroughly reheated, another 10 minutes. Pour the cream into the mixture and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

OVEN-BAKED KOFTA KEBABS (PAKISTANI-STYLE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion and 1 tablespoon of the oil from the skillet to a food processor and puree until smooth. Reserve remaining oil in the skillet.
• Place onion puree, beef, egg, yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander, salt, and red pepper in a bowl. Mix by hand to combine. Form beef mixture into 4 to 5-inch-long kebabs using oiled hands. Arrange in a baking pan.
• Saute cumin seeds in the reserved oil over medium-high heat until blackened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, and salt; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Pour the sauce over the kebabs. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until beef is no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Uncover and turn on the broiler. Broil until brown, about 5 minutes more.

CHEF JOHN'S KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• Cut toasted bread slice into thin strips on a cutting board; cut strips across into a small dice.
• Place onion, parsley, and garlic on top of diced bread on the cutting board; chop until mixture resembles tabbouleh.
• Season beef and lamb with kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, paprika, cardamom, nutmeg, and cayenne. Add onion mixture and water. Mix and mash with your hands until well combined.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
• Remove meat from the refrigerator and roll ¼ of the mixture into a ball using wet hands. Pierce in the middle with a bamboo skewer. Shape meat into a uniform log, about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide.
• Meanwhile, preheat a charcoal grill until coals are very hot.
• Place kebabs on the hot grill until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a kebab should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Serve.