Paneer Walnut Malai Kofta: 25-Min Recipe

Adding walnuts to koftas, that were moulded out of paneer and malai, adds an interesting smoky, nutty backbone to them. In Chef Guntas Sethi's finger-lickin' good recipe they are then popped into a chilly-onion-nut-tomato gravy.

Ingredients

For the koftas: 

• 2 medium-sized potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed
• 1½ cups grated paneer
• 3 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh green dhania or coriander or cilantro

Ingredients, continued

For the koftas, continued:

• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped raisins
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder
• Salt to taste, about 2 tsp

Ingredients, continued

For the curry:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil + extra for oiling the air fryer
• 2 tej patta or bay leaves
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• 1 small stick dalcheeni or cinnamon
• 1 onion
• 3 tomatoes

Ingredients, continued

For the curry, continued:

• ½ cup walnuts, pre-soaked
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 garlic pods
• Pinch sugar
• 2 green chillies
• 2-inch piece ginger
• 2 tsp red chilly powder

Ingredients, continued

For the curry, continued:

• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp kasuri methi or dried fenugreek
• 2 tbsp creamy, malai-wallah yoghurt
• Handful fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• 1 tbsp cream, for garnish
• Water as required

Method

For the koftas:

• In a bowl, mix together all the kofta ingredients.
  Make small 1 inch-diameter balls out of the mixture.
• Lightly oil the basket of an air fryer and heat to 200°C.
• Air fry the koftas for about 15 minutes, checking in between and turning, till they develop a reddish crust.
  Alternately you can deep fry or pan fry them.

Method, continued

For the curry:

• Blend together all the ingredients along in a blender/mixer, except the oil, butter, green dhania garnish and spices.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan or a kadhai, over medium heat and add the cumin seeds, garam masala, cinnamon, bay leaves, kasuri methi, red chilly powder and fry for a minute.
  Then add the puree.
  Let it simmer over low heat until the oil separates and add the butter.
• Drizzle the cream and garnish with the green dhania and serve with steamed rice or naans or parathas.