Name: Malai kofta with spicy gravy
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 800g potato peeled; 5 tbsp plain flour; 2 eggs beaten; 100g fine breadcrumbs; oil for frying; 2 heaped tbsp grated paneer cheese; 5 cashew nuts, chopped; 1 tbsp raisins; 2-3 green chillies finely chopped; ¼ tsp sugar; 1 tsp each ground coriander cumin and chilli powder; ½ tsp cardamom powder; 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee; 2 medium onions chopped; 3 garlic cloves crushed; large piece ginger grated; 2 tsp poppy seeds crushed to a powder; 1 tbsp peanut or cashew nuts; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 large tomatoes puréed; 1 tsp chilli powder; ½ tsp each garam masala ground coriander, cumin and sugar; flaked almond and single cream, to serve

800g potato
peeled
5 tbsp plain flour
2 eggs
beaten
100g fine breadcrumbs
oil
for frying

For the filling

2 heaped tbsp grated paneer
cheese
5 cashew
nuts, chopped
1 tbsp raisins
2-3 green chillies
finely chopped
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp each ground coriander
cumin and chilli powder
½ tsp cardamom
powder
3 tbsp vegetable oil
or ghee

For the gravy

2 medium onions
chopped
3 garlic cloves
crushed
large piece ginger
grated
2 tsp poppy seeds
crushed to a powder
1 tbsp peanut
or cashew nuts
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 large tomatoes
puréed
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp each garam masala
ground coriander, cumin and sugar
flaked almond
and single cream, to serve

Method

step 1
Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain, return to the pan and put over a low heat to steam dry for a few mins. Mash with some seasoning and cool.
step 2
Mix all the filling ingredients together. Make 12 balls of potato. Take one, press your finger into it to make a little hole, then place a little of the filling mixture into the centre. Pinch the potato back over to seal and shape into a round. Repeat with remaining potato balls and filling. Roll each kofta in flour, dip in the beaten egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Fill a deep saucepan halfway with oil, and heat until a small piece of bread browns in 20 secs. Fry the koftas in batches for a few mins until golden, then set aside on kitchen paper.
step 3
For the gravy, blend together the onions, garlic, ginger, poppy seeds and nuts in a food processor to a purée. Heat the oil, then fry the onion purée until just turning brown. Add the puréed tomatoes, spices and sugar. The gravy should be quite thick, but if you want to thin it down a bit, add a little water.
step 4
When the gravy comes to a boil, add the koftas. Heat through and serve with a drizzle of single cream and some flaked almonds scattered on top.