Indian🥣 Soups & stews

Paneer Malai Kofta – Zero Oil, Zero Butter, Zero Cream Version

Name: Paneer Malai Kofta – Zero Oil, Zero Butter, Zero Cream Version
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 onion; 2 ginger; 10-12 cloves garlic cloves; 2 green chili; a pinch coriander stems; 2 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 black cardamom; 3 green cardamom; 50 g California walnuts; to taste water; a pinch salt; ~1 tsp honey; a pinch garam masala; a pinch white pepper powder; 10-12 California walnuts (toasted & crushed, for kofta); 150 g low-fat paneer; 1-2 tbsp crushed walnuts; 3-4 tbsp bell pepper; ~2 tbsp raisins; 1 tsp coriander; ~1 tsp ginger (for kofta); 1-2 green chili (for kofta); a pinch white pepper powder (for kofta); a pinch cardamom powder; to taste salt (for kofta)

⏱ 45 min

A restaurant-style Malai Kofta made completely without oil, butter, or cream. California walnuts are blended into the gravy for a rich, velvety texture and used again in the koftas for a nutty crunch — proving indulgent flavor doesn't require any added fat.

High-proteinLow-carb

Adapted from a video by Your Food Lab

Paneer Malai Kofta recipe WITHOUT Cream, Butter & Oil! बिना तेल के पनीर मलाई कोफ्ता | Sanjyot Keer

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

onionmedium size, roughly sliced3
gingerabout 2-inch piece, roughly chopped2
garlic cloves10-12 cloves
green chili2
coriander stemsa small amounta pinch
bay leaves2
cinnamon stickabout 1-inch piece1
black cardamom1

Steps

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1
Roughly chop the onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies and coriander stems, and add them to a pot along with bay leaves, cinnamon, black cardamom and green cardamom, then add 50g California walnuts.
2
Add enough water to cover everything, add a large pinch of salt, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until everything softens.
3
Turn off the heat, remove the whole spices (bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms), and let the mixture cool.
4
Blend the cooled mixture until very smooth, then pass it through a fine sieve for an extra silky texture.
5
Reheat the strained gravy on low flame and simmer for 5-7 minutes to reduce and thicken.
6
Adjust salt to taste, add a touch of honey to balance the flavors, then finish with a pinch of garam masala and white pepper powder.
7
Toast 10-12 walnuts in a dry pan on low heat until fragrant, let them cool, then grind into a powder in a chopper.
8
Set a colander over a moist cloth, grate 150g low-fat paneer into it, and mash it repeatedly with your hands until the granules become very fine and start binding together.
9
Mix in 1-2 tbsp crushed walnuts, finely chopped bell pepper, raisins, coriander, ginger, green chili, white pepper, cardamom powder and salt into the paneer mixture, mixing lightly without over-kneading.
10
Take small portions of the mixture and roll them between your palms into smooth, crack-free balls, making about 8 koftas.
11
Spread the reserved crushed walnuts on a plate and roll each kofta ball in it to coat evenly.
12
Place the walnut-coated koftas on butter paper and air-fry in a preheated air fryer at 180°C for 10 minutes until cooked through (an oven or a covered pan on low indirect heat can be used instead).
13
Plate the hot gravy first, then gently place the air-fried koftas on top without dropping them into the gravy (to avoid breaking them), and serve.

Paneer Malai Kofta – Zero Oil, Zero Butter, Zero Cream Version

Ingredients

Steps

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