Melt in the Mouth Paneer Kofta
How long did you think it would be? I mean, how long did youĀ really think it would before I came back with another paneer recipe? You must have known it wouldnāt be long because you all know how I canāt resist that rich, creamy, irresistible goodness!
Kofta (as they are usually referred to in the South Asian Subcontinent) have a heavy presence over various cuisines; from the Arabian Peninsula to what was once Persia to North Africa and also Eastern Europe. The concept of the kofta (or kufteh, kƶfte, keftes, kufta, Äuftaā¦ I could go on for a really long time so I really think I should stop here) is that a ground form of particular ingredients are spiced (according to what herbs and spices are predominantly available in that country) and rolled into a certain shape. Now, they are usually rolled into spherical shapes but in some Arab counties they are shaped rather like long kebabs, therefore the concept obviously varies according to where it is being made. Kofta can be fried, steamed, grilled or baked according to what ingredients you added to the mix. I liken this particular recipe to a softer version of the Italian potato dumpling, gnocchi but non-vegetarian kofta would most likely equate to meatballs in Italy. Ground meat is usually the key ingredient but here at KO Rasoi I like to do things a little differently so, being the paneer monster I am, I gave in to my yearningsā¦
I just had to share this recipe I created with you guys because it makes the softest, melt in the mouth kofta coated with the silkiest, delicate spicy-sweet sauce you have ever tasted. If this hasnāt sold you then the combination of honey, fennel and cardamom in the tomato, almond and cashew nut sauce will certainly get your tastebuds dancing to a Bollywood beat. Thatās how certain I am that you will like this.
Iām not even going to say anything else except āgood luckā (ā¦ In putting your spoon down once you pick it up and start eating).
Ingredients
(Serves 4-6)
For the kofta
450g paneer (fresh or grated on the fine side of a cheese grater if you are using a block of paneer)
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green chilli, chopped
2 tablespoon coriander, chopped finely
1 tablespoon cornflour, plus more for coating
1 Ā½ teaspoon salt
Oil to deep fry
For the sauce
Ā¾ cup blanched almonds
Ā¾ cup blanched cashews
Ā¾ onion, minced
6 tablespoon concentrated tomato puree
1 Ā½ tablespoon ghee
Ā½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Ā¼ teaspoon asafoetida
2 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 red chillies, minced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 teaspoon fennel powder
2 teaspoon clear honey
1 teaspoon ground cardamom powder
2-3 cups water
Salt to taste
Ā¼ cup coriander, chopped
Method
1. Mix together all of the ingredients for the kofta and knead for 3-4 minutes until you have a dough-like consistency. Set aside.
2. Grind together the almonds, cashews, 1 cup of water, and the onion. Set aside.
3. Heat the ghee in a large non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, garlic and chillies. SautƩ for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato puree and ground almond and cashew paste. Cook this until oil emerges at the surface.
4. Add the cumin and coriander powder, fennel powder, honey, cardamom powder and salt. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes and adjust the thickness of the sauce boiling with some water. Season with salt and garnish the sauce with a little chopped coriander if you wish.
5. Roll the kofta into oval shapes making sure there arenāt any cracks in them. Use a little oil to stop the mixture from sticking to your hands.
6. Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry the kofta.
7. Roll the kofta in a little cornflour and dust any excess away.
8. Fry the kofta on a medium heat until they are a very light golden colour and drain on kitchen paper.
9. Assemble the dish just before serving by gently mixing the kofta with the sauce. You can make this ahead of time by keeping the kofta and sauce separate until you are ready to serve.
Serve with some steaming hot basmati rice and naan. Enjoy thisā¦ I really did!
The results of the Create for a Chilli Chopper will be on their way to you soon!
wow... that one leaves me drooling...
Now we are talking! This is my absolute favourite! The photo is great!
only 4 tbsp of tomato puree?? is that a typo?? how do u make the sauce with only 4 tbsp of liquid?
To clarify, by tomato puree I mean the concentrated paste that comes in a tube or jar, not the chopped/canned kind or passata. Some of the liquid is the water in the ground nuts and then just follow the directions in step 4 concerning the consistency of the sauce (i.e add water and tomato puree- this will become thick because of the ground nuts). Hope this helps.
I made this tonight and both my husband and I loved it! It really does melt in the mouth. I'll definitely be doing this one again soon. Thanks !!
This looks amazing, and your instructions are very generous. I'm bookmarking your blog as we speak š
That looks delicious! I found your site via tastespotting. I look forward to exploring it more.
Thank you everyone- I really hope you enjoy it! š
Yum, I've been trying to cook more stuff like this, so I'm making the Kofta and that fragrant sauce this week!
Yum! This looks amazing. š
Wow. What an intense dish. I love making Indian because of the great variety of ingredients. This dish looks fantastic.
wow it looks too good!!
from Me!
Hi
the recipe is awesome. I made it today for dinner, and me n my husband enjoyed it very much ...adding honey was a great thing ...the only thing I added was milk to reduce thickness of gravy.
thanks again for such a nice recipe.
Thanks so much for this, Sanjana š It really is melt in the mouth! Made this for the weekend and DH who is not a fan of anything even remotely Kofta-ish wolfed it down š
good lord, you're the paneer goddess! looks sinfully delicious...and a heart felt congrats to you on this recipe being chosen for the foodista tp 100 recipe. =)
Sanjana,
I so enjoy reading your blog. It is in my RSS feed so I do not miss a post or wonderful recipe. The kofta are something I will try before this month is out and will report back.
Thank you for your vegetarian inspiration!
PS - I think Sanjay Thumma is a wonderful inspiring chef too...love his cooking videos.
bonnie
This looks so good I decided to make it for a friend who loves paneer and curry!
It was a big hit(although I think I could've processed the nuts longer to get the sauce more velvety).
I made extra koftas which I shamelessly enjoyed with ketchup the next day š
Thanks for posting this recipe
Hare Krishna
This looks and probably tastes great . Can you suggest replacement for garlic & onion or i just leave then out
Stumbled across your blog through Pinterest ā I love, love, love paneer (like eat-it-three-meals-a-day kind of love!) so Iām loving the site! We made this for a party this weekend and it was a HUGE hit ā thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Hi Mona, thanks for your comment. Really lovely to hear the kofta went down well! It's one of my favourites. I'm exactly the same - I could eat paneer all day every day!
Hi Sanjana.
My son is alergic to all types of nuts. Should I just leave the nuts out or replace them with something else?
Oh no... where did I go wrong. The Kofta's kind of exploded whilst I was frying them. š
Oh no! You need to make sure the kofta balls are formed very tightly. Next time, you can try placing them in the freezer for 30 minutes before frying.
Hi, you can try leaving them out although I haven't tested the recipe without. Let me know how you get on!