Step by step
Method
8 steps- 01
Mash the cooled potatoes until completely smooth. Add paneer, cornflour, coriander, garam masala, cumin and salt; mix lightly without overworking.
- 02
Divide into 12 portions and roll into firm balls. Chill for 15 minutes so the kofta hold their shape.
- 03
Heat 5 cm of neutral oil to 175°C. Fry one test kofta; if it cracks, work another spoonful of cornflour into the mixture. Fry the rest in batches until deep golden, then drain.
- 04
For the gravy, warm ghee in a saucepan. Cook onion and cashews for 7–8 minutes until soft and lightly golden; add ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute.
- 05
Add tomatoes, coriander, chilli and turmeric. Cook for 10–12 minutes until the tomatoes collapse and the fat begins to separate.
- 06
Cool briefly, blend with half the hot water until very smooth, then pass through a sieve for a restaurant-silky texture.
- 07
Return the sauce to the pan with remaining water. Simmer 8 minutes; stir in cream, garam masala, kasoori methi, sugar and salt without boiling hard.
- 08
Place hot kofta in a serving bowl and spoon over the gravy just before serving so the shells stay delicate rather than soggy.
Cook's notes
Make it excellent
- Use cooled, dry potatoes; wet potatoes make fragile kofta.
- Keep the gravy slightly loose because it thickens as it rests.
- For make-ahead service, store kofta and sauce separately and combine at the table.
Serve it with
Butter naan, cumin rice, cucumber-onion salad and a squeeze of lime.
Store & reheat
Refrigerate sauce and kofta separately for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce gently and crisp kofta in a 190°C oven for 8 minutes.
Recipe is very good and perfect, I thought it would not work but it did. Congrats.