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aerial shot of paneer kofta served on a white pan
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5 from 1 vote

Paneer Kofta Recipe

Paneer Kofta is a rich and creamy Indian main course dish. Learn how to make restaurant-style malai kofta in a few simple steps.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 953kcal
Author: Hina Gujral

Equipment

  • Heavy Bottom Kadhai
  • Deep Frying Pan
  • Blender

Ingredients

Ingredients For Paneer Kofta:

  • 250 gram paneer (cottage cheese), grated
  • 1 cup potato, hard boiled and grated
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (maida)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • 2 cup vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Ingredients For Gravy:

  • ¼ cup ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 cup onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 2 dry Kashmiri Red Chili
  • ¼ Cup cashew nuts
  • 1 cup tomato, chopped
  • ¼ cup tomato puree
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup fresh cream
  • ½ teaspoon saffron (soaked in 1 tablespoon milk)
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

Instructions

Prepare Kofta:

  • Mix all the ingredients for the kofta except oil in a bowl. Knead the mixture for 5 - 6 minutes with the pressure of your palm to get a smooth, non-sticky dough. This step ensures mouth melting kofta balls.
  • Make small, even bite-size balls of the mixture. Keep in the fridge while oil is heated.
  • Heat oil for frying the kofta in a deep-frying pan to a medium-high temperature.
  • Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low and fry the koftas in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. Once golden, crisp drain the kofta on a plate and set aside.

Prepare Gravy:

  • Soak saffron in 1 tablespoon of milk and set aside. 
  • Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, red chilli, cashews and fry till onion starts turning brown.
  • Next, add chopped tomato, puree, spices, salt and fry till tomatoes are mushy. Once the oil starts separating from the masala add 1 Cup water. Stir and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 3 - 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Grind the masala to a smooth paste in blender. 
  • Once again, heat the same pan. Using a seive filter the masala paste for a smooth gravy. Discard the thick residue left in the seive.
  • Add fried kofta balls, kasuri methis, cream, and stir to mix. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the gravy over low heat for 5 - 6 minutes. Adjust the consistency of gravy by using water/milk if it seems too thick. 
  • Once you are ready to serve, add soaked saffron and fresh coriander. Stir gently to combine. Turn off the heat.
  • Serve Paneer Kofta with naan or lachha paratha. 

Video

Notes

  • If the kofta mixture is way too sticky, add 1 - 2 tablespoons more flour to get a smooth dough.
  • Keeping uncooked kofta in the fridge while preheating the oil is an essential step. 
  • Filtering the gravy masala is an optional step. It ensures a smooth, silky texture of the gravy like a makhani sauce. 
  • If the gravy seems too thick adjust the consistency by adding more water or milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 953kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 97g | Saturated Fat: 73g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 419mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg