Malai Kofta

I made this the other day and it is my new favourite Indian dish to make at home. The balls are great, the sauce is great and together it is kind of magnificent. The following day I had it at work and had multiple people ask what the yummy smell was. I substituted cumin for cumin seeds and left out the cilantro but it was still damn tasty. I was particularly amazed with the tangy sauce, which I think is quite similar to other Indian tangy sauces. The only downside was Toby's comment that there is no protein so I mixed some beans into the sauce (after the photo). We will certainly be making this again!

Malai Kofta by happyveganface:

kofta balls:
3 small russet potatoes, boiled until cooked through
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
¼“ ginger, peeled & chopped
3 green onions, very finely chopped (white & green parts!)
big ‘ol handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 slices ‘o gluten-free bread
¼ cup raw cashew pieces
2 tsp safflower oil
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garam masala
pinch of cayenne pepper

malai kofta gravy:
2 large tomatoes, finely diced
6 mushrooms, finely diced
3 big cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
½ yellow onion, finely diced
½ bell pepper, finely diced
½ cup veggie broth
¼ cup coconut milk (or any non-diary milk)
2 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tsp safflower oil
1 tsp toasted ground coriander
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp sea salt
juice from ½ a lime
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Start with the potato balls: in one skillet toast up those cumin seeds & cashews on medium heat. set aside. place the 2 tsp of oil in the other skillet and heat to medium and sauté the onions and ginger until the onions become clear. add the garlic to the onions and sauté for another minute. add the remaining spices for the  kofta balls and let it cook for another minute. remove the spiced onion mix from the stove & transfer to the food processor. add to the food processor those toasted cashew pieces & cumin seeds, slices of gluten-free bread, and cilantro. whiz it up until it’s pretty well combined then transfer the whole mess o’ yum to the large mixing bowl (which you could use to smash up those potatoes) & add the smashed potatoes & green onions. combine well & adjust seasonings to taste. form a bunch ‘o walnut sized balls and place them on the baking sheet that’s been spritzed with a little cooking spray. bake the kofta balls on 350 (no need to preheat) for 20 minutes. turn them over & bake another 10. while your balls are baking get your gravy on!

In the medium pot, on medium heat, sauté the onions, bell pepper, mushrooms & garlic until the onions become soft (don’t let them brown). add in the spices & sauté for another minute. toss in the chopped tomatoes & veggie broth. bring everything to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat – simmer for 10 minutes. uncover, add the coconut milk, and whisk in the chickpea flour. toss in the cilantro, parsley and lime juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and set aside.

To serve: ladle gravy over kofta balls & enjoy!