Indian Dumplings in Curry Tomato Cream Sauce
If malai kofta isn’t one of your top 5 Indian dishes you probably fall into one of these categories: you’ve never been to an Indian restaurant*, you’ve been vegan or lactose intolerant your whole life, you don’t like rich foods, or you’re really bad at ordering.
Author: Thecuriouschickpea/Photo credit to thecuriouschickpea.com
Ingredients
- Kofta
- 1¼ lb yukon gold potatoes (generally 4-6 potatoes)
- 1 lb firm or extra firm tofu
- ½ cup corn starch or arrowroot starch, more if needed
- 2 tbsp minced cilantro, leaves and stems
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1¾ tsp salt
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- oil for frying or baking
- Curry Tomato Cream Sauce
- 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 32 oz can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup cashews
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1" piece fresh ginger, chopped
- 1½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 15 oz can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), OR 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- First cook the potatoes for the kofta. Peel and cut the potatoes in half, then place them in a pot and cover with water. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium and let boil for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked and easily pierced with a fork. Drain the hot water from the potatoes, mash them until smooth, and set aside.
- While the potatoes are cooking, start the curry tomato cream sauce. In a large heavy bottomed pot add the onion, canned tomatoes and their juices, cashews, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. If you are using fenugreek seeds instead of kasoori methi, also add the fenugreek seeds at this point. Cover the pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the onion and tomato mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, making sure to vent so hot air doesn't build up in the blender. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender, but the final sauce will not be as silky smooth. Pour the creamy mixture back into the pot and add the coconut milk, reserving ~1/4 cup back to serve and crush the methi in your fingers and add to the pot. Mix together and cover the pot and set aside until the kofta are ready.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the tofu by squeezing it in your hands until it's creamy and no chunks remain. You want to have the texture of ricotta. Alternatively you can blend it in a small food processor until smooth.
- Add the mashed potatoes to the mashed tofu along with the corn starch, minced cilantro, lemon juice, garam masala, and salt. Mix together and test the consistency by forming some into a ball. It should hold together. It can stick to your hands a little, but if it is very sticky or too wet and falling apart, you can add a bit more corn starch. This can vary depending on what brand and variety of tofu you use, but the recipe is quite flexible. Mix in the frozen peas. Shape the kofta mixture into heaping 1 tablespoon portions and roll into balls or into a football shape (a torpedo).