A Gourmet Meal: MALAI KOFTA.. The way it should be, in WHITE GRAVY!

We have forgotten what Malai Kofta is, since leaving India.. There isn't a single restaurant in any of the places we have visited outside of India where they serve this in the authentic style, in the white gravy, the way its suppose to be! Its typically covered in the same boring red gravy that they use for almost every other dish in their restaurant.

This recipe demands time and patience.. My husband loves this and I made this for our special friends when they visited us last. I made it in batches which I found is easier than spending hours at a stretch on the D day and tiring yourself. I did a lot of prepping like roasting the nuts, boiling the onions, making the gravy while getting my dinner ready a couple of days before the actual dinner was due.

Ingredients:

For the Koftas:

Cashews - 10 - 12, chopped

Almonds - 10-12, chopped

Raisins - 25-30

Paneer, 500 gms Grated

Mawa- 1 cup grated

Cornstarch- 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Cardamom Powder, 1/2 tsp

Oil to fry

For White Gravy:

White Onions, 4 quartered, peeled and boiled

Oil, 3 tbsp

Bay leaves, 3

Green Cardamom, 6-8

Ginger Paste, 1 tsp

Garlic Paste, 1 tsp

Cashewnut Paste, 1 cup

Green Chilies, 6-8 Slit

Water, 3-4 cups

Butter, 1 tbsp

Sugar, 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Green Cardamom Powder, 1 tsp

Fresh Cream, 1/2 cup

Ghee, 1 tbsp

Milk, 1 cup

Procedure:

For the White Gravy:

1. Boil water in a pot and add in the quartered white onions until they are soft. Cool completely and grind to a smooth paste.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot add in the bay leaf and cardamom pods until the pods swell.

3. Add in the onion paste and cook until the onions are cooked but ensuring that the gravy doesn't brown. Cook them on medium low heat and stir at regular intervals.

4. Add in the ginger and garlic paste and mix.

5. To make the cashew paste, boil 1 cup of cashews with 2 cups of water until the cashews start floating on the top and become soft. Drain and freshen under cold running water. Cool completely and grind to a smooth paste using very little water. You can prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate beforehand.

6. Once the onion paste is cooked add in the cashew paste and mix well. We need to stir continuously after adding the cashew paste as it tends to stick to the pan and burn.

7. We know the gravy is ready when it takes a lump like form. Now add in the green chilies and mix.

8. Add in the milk and mix again. I used a whisk to do this as the gravy turns thick, lumpy and dense at this stage. The heat should be very low after this.

9. Add in the sugar and mix.

10. Add in the butter and mix again.

11. Mix in the cardamom powder.

12. Add in the salt and mix.

13. Mix in some fresh cream and transfer the gravy to another bowl.

For the Koftas:

1. Heat and pan and add a table spoon of ghee.

2. Add in the chopped cashews, raisins and almonds and roast until light brown.

3. Remove them into another bowl and set aside to cool.

4. In another bowl, take the grated paneer.

5. Add the grated khoya, salt, cardamom powder and cornflour and mix well into a dough. Divide the dough into 12 lemon sized balls.

6. Take a ball in your palm and creating a hollow in the center stuff some of the dry fruit filling and cover the dough bringing the sides together and making it into a smooth ball. Repeat the procedure for the rest of the dough balls and keep them aside to fry.