Paneer Kofta Korma {Indian Cottage Cheese Balls In A Delicate Yogurt Sauce}

Winters are when I am at my lethargic worst. But the colder weather requires substantial sustenance too. That is when you go for the rich and filling curries and korma fits the bill perfectly.

Depending on where you come from, korma can mean different things. What we call korma in South India tend to be spicy, the heat somewhat tempered or rather, complemented, with coconut or coconut milk. Whereas traditional korma, which has it’s roots in Mughlai cuisine, is often made with yogurt or cream and some kind of rich nut or seed paste. The result is a silky smooth, aromatic, somewhat mild curry.

The most sought-after kormas are the non-vegetarian versions, of course. The easiest, preparation-wise, is a mixed vegetable korma. But what if we crave a special vegetarian version? That’s where kofta comes in. Tiny mock meatballs fried to golden perfection.

What you put inside koftas is entirely up to you. I have a chicken kofta curry right here in my archives. Paneer is a wonderful alternative. I love this cottage cheese’s versatility. It is so simple to work with, but it elevates an everyday meal to special status.

Paneer is crumbled, kneaded lightly and mixed with a little flour or corn starch, lightly spiced with ginger, garlic, chilis and cumin and formed into bite-sized kofta balls. I fried them this time because it felt like the right thing to do! You can always bake them to keep the calories down.

The gravy for the korma has the traditional onion-ginger-garlic base. It is thickened with khus khus (poppy seed) paste. This can be used alone or in combination with even richer cashew nut and blanched almond pastes, and adds a nice texture and the ever-so-slight nutty flavor to the curry. Finally, the korma is finished with yogurt, which adds a lovely tangy creaminess.

I have spiced the korma with ground green chilis and a touch of crushed black pepper, hence the light color. You can use red chili powder for more heat and of course, a darker reddish shade.

PANEER KOFTA KORMA {INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE BALLS IN A DELICATE YOGURT SAUCE}

You will need:

For paneer kofta (makes 15-18 kofta balls),

• Paneer – 1/2 lb, around 250gm
• Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Green chili – 1 small, finely chopped
• Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – a couple of generous pinches
• Corn starch – 2-3 tbsp (as required to make a soft dough)
• Oil – for deep frying

For the korma (serves 4),

• Khus khus (white poppy seeds) – 1 1/2 tbsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Whole spices – 1″ piece of cinnamon, 2-3 cloves, 2-3 green cardamom pods
• Onion – 1 medium-sized, ground to a paste
• Ginger – a thick 1″ piece
• Garlic – 5-6 cloves
• Green chilis – 2
• Tomato – 1, chopped
• Black pepper corns – 2 tsp, cracked (use more or less, depending on your heat level)
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Yogurt – 3/4 cup, lightly whipped to remove any lumps
• Water – 1 cup
• Salt – to taste
• Cilantro – a few leaves, chopped

How to:

• Paneer Kofta: Grate or crumble the paneer. In a mixing bowl, combine the paneer, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt and mix thoroughly. Knead lightly with your hand till the mixture comes together and turns soft. Add corn starch, a tablespoon at a time, and knead till you are able to form a soft dough.
  
• Make small balls from the dough. Keep them covered while the oil for frying heats up.
• Heat oil in a kadai or frying pan and fry the koftas in batches. Fry them in medium heat till they are uniformly golden brown. (Do not use high heat as the koftas may brown too fast and not get cooked properly. Do not use a too-low heat also, because then the koftas will absorb oil and not crisp up properly.)
• Remove fried koftas on to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep aside while you prepare the korma.
• Paneer Kofta Korma: Lightly toast the khus khus in a large pan. Let it cool down and grind to a smooth powder in a spice grinder. Keep aside.
• Meanwhile, grind the ginger, garlic and green chilis to a paste and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Lightly crush the whole spices and add to the oil. Allow them to sputter and turn fragrant.
• Add the onion paste and saute till it becomes lightly golden in color. Then add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute for a few minutes till the raw smell goes away.
• Now add the chopped tomato and cook till it is soft and mushy. Then add the cracked black pepper and other masala powders and saute for a minute or two.
• Reduce heat to low and add the ground khus khus and yogurt. Stir lightly and cook for a minute. Add water and salt and bring to a gentle boil.
• Add the fried paneer koftas and simmer the gravy till it is reduced to your liking.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately with rice or rotis.

Notes:

• Corn starch helps to form the kofta balls easily, prevent the koftas from cracking and also make them crunchier when fried. You can use regular flour or chickpea flour (besan) instead, just add enough to make a smooth, soft dough. If you do not want to use flour, try adding a little bit of bread crumbs or a boiled and mashed potato.
• For a spicier and darker korma, use more red chili powder in place of, or in addition to, the green chilis and black pepper.
• Soak a few cashew nuts or blanched almonds in water, grind to a paste and use in place of the khus khus.

It goes without saying that the paneer koftas are great as appetizers or snack when served with ketchup or a spicy chutney/dip.

Have you tried paneer koftas? Have you used khus khus to thicken your curries? Do share.

I hope you try this recipe for paneer kofta korma and let me know how you like it.

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