Table & Traditions Recipes, rituals & real meals
About Favorites 0

North India (Mughlai-influenced) · Indian

Malai Kofta (Paneer-Potato Dumplings in Creamy Gravy)

A vegetarian restaurant showpiece: soft paneer-and-potato dumplings in a rich, mildly sweet tomato-cashew gravy. Indulgent, festive, and made for special occasions.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published July 29, 2026

A bowl of malai kofta — golden fried paneer-potato dumplings in a creamy orange tomato-cashew gravy with a swirl of cream and coriander, beside naan.

Malai kofta is the vegetarian answer to the Mughlai meatball curries (kofta) of the royal kitchens — 'malai' meaning cream. Soft dumplings of paneer and potato stand in for meat, bathed in a luxurious nut-and-cream gravy. It's a celebratory, restaurant- and wedding-menu dish rather than everyday fare, prized for its richness.

Yield
Serves 4 (about 12 kofta)
Prep
30 min
Cook
30 min
Total
About 1 hr
Difficulty
Intermediate

Malai kofta is the vegetarian showpiece of the North Indian table — soft paneer-and-potato dumplings in a rich, mildly sweet tomato-cashew gravy. It’s the meat-free answer to the Mughlai kofta curries, with malai (cream) signalling its indulgence. This is celebration food: a wedding-menu, special-occasion dish rather than a weeknight one.

Kofta that hold together

The dumplings are the make-or-break. Bind well-mashed potato and grated paneer with cornflour into a smooth dough, tuck a few chopped cashews and raisins into the centre of each, and fry on medium so the shell sets golden before the kofta can break. If your test kofta falls apart, add a little more cornflour.

A velvet gravy

The gravy is restaurant-smooth by design: tomatoes, onion and soaked cashews simmered soft, blended, and sieved, then cooked down in butter with sugar, cream and kasuri methi. The cashews give body and a gentle sweetness; sieving gives the silk.

Combine at the last moment

The one rule that separates good malai kofta from soggy malai kofta: keep the kofta and gravy apart until serving, then add the dumplings just before they hit the table. Serve with naan or jeera rice. Pair with chicken korma for a rich Mughlai-style spread, or keep it vegetarian with palak paneer.

Ingredients

Serves
4

For the kofta

  • 200 g paneer, grated
  • 2 potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 2 tbsp cornflour Binds the kofta so they don't disintegrate while frying.
  • 2 tbsp chopped cashews and raisins, 1 chopped green chili, salt, pinch garam masala
  • oil, for deep-frying

For the gravy

  • 4 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 12 cashews, soaked
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 3 tbsp butter or ghee

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Mix grated paneer, mashed potato, cornflour, salt and garam masala into a smooth, pliable dough. Form balls, tucking a few chopped cashews and raisins into the centre of each. Deep-fry on medium until golden, then drain.

    Why: Cornflour and well-mashed potato bind the kofta so they hold in the oil; a medium fry sets a golden shell without the dumpling breaking apart. The nut-raisin centre is the classic surprise.

  2. Simmer the tomatoes, onion, soaked cashews and ginger-garlic until soft, then blend smooth and sieve.

    Why: Blending and sieving gives the velvety, restaurant-smooth gravy malai kofta is known for; cashews add body and the gentle sweetness.

  3. Cook the purée in butter with the dry spices for 10–12 minutes until it thickens and the butter separates, then stir in cream, sugar and crushed kasuri methi.

    Why: Cooking the purée down concentrates the flavour; sugar balances the tomato, cream enriches, and kasuri methi gives the signature aroma.

  4. Add the kofta to the gravy only just before serving (or pour the gravy over them on the plate).

    Why: Kofta turn soggy if they sit in the gravy too long — adding them at the last moment keeps a little texture against the silky sauce.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Baked / air-fried kofta

    Bake or air-fry the kofta with a light brush of oil for a lower-fat version (add extra cornflour so they hold).

  • Lauki kofta

    Use grated bottle gourd (squeezed dry) with the paneer for a lighter, traditional kofta.

  • White gravy

    Make a tomato-free white cashew-and-cream gravy (shahi) for a paler, milder kofta curry.

Serving & Storage

Serve hot with naan, butter naan, or jeera rice, with the gravy poured over the kofta and a swirl of cream and coriander on top. A festive-meal centrepiece.

Pairs with: Naan, Jeera rice, Garlic naan, Cucumber raita.

Storage: Store kofta and gravy separately — the gravy keeps 3 days refrigerated; fried kofta keep 2 days and re-crisp in an oven. Combine only at serving so the kofta don't go soggy.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 serving (3 kofta with gravy))

Calories
520
Protein
14 g
Carbs
30 g
Fat
39 g
Fiber
4 g
Sugar
11 g
Sodium
560 mg

Notable micronutrients: Calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin A

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my kofta break apart in the oil?

Too little binder or too much moisture. Make sure the potato is well-mashed and not watery, add enough cornflour, and fry on medium — not low — so the shell sets quickly. Test one kofta first; if it breaks, add a little more cornflour.

Can I make malai kofta ahead?

Yes, and it's the smart way to do it. Make the gravy and fry the kofta separately, refrigerate, then reheat the gravy and add the kofta just before serving so they keep their texture.

What gives the gravy its restaurant smoothness?

Soaked cashews blended into the tomato-onion base, then sieving the purée. The cashews add body and a gentle sweetness, and sieving removes any fibre for that velvety finish.

What to drink with this

All drinks →

Hand-picked pours to match this dish.

From our kitchen community

Ratings & Reviews

My Rating

Tap a star to rate — no sign-in, no form needed.

Be the first to rate Malai Kofta (Paneer-Potato Dumplings in Creamy Gravy).

Further reading