Check out this recipe to make delicious malai kofta biryani

Creamy stuffed paneer koftas are spiced with homemade masalas and laced in velvety saffron sauce. With a soft texture inside out, these heavenly balls melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more. This is a famous recipe of biryani wherein ‘dumpukht’ flavoured basmati rice is topped with delicious malai kofta. Here’s the recipe to make this dish.

Follow this simple recipe to make scrumptious malai kofta biryani, as shared by Mr Ishan Yadav who is the Culinary Head at Licorne Hospitality private limited.

Ingredients

For kofta

Paneer grated 11/2 cup

Potatoes medium sized [boiled and mashed] 2 nos

Ginger chopped  1 tsp

Green chillies finely chopped 1 tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp

Garam masala powder    1 1/2 tsp

Besan [lightly roasted]    1/4 cup

Salt 1 1/2 tsp

Oil for frying     

Golden raisins chopped    6-8 nos

Cashew nuts broken 4-5 nos

For curry

Desi ghee 2 tbsp

Bay leaves 2 nos

Cinnamon stick    1inch

Green cardamom 3pods 

Black cardamom 2pods 

Cloves    6-7 nos

Cumin seeds 1 tsp 

Medium onion sliced 2 nos

Ginger Garlic paste 2 tsp

Green chillies slit 3 nos

Kashmiri red chilli powder 3 tsp

Curd beaten 1 cup

Salt 1 1/2 tsp

Water 1 1/2 cup

Cream 2 tbsp

Rose Water 1 tsp

For rice

Fine grain basmati rice [soaked for 60 mins] 500 gm

Water 8 cups

Desi ghee 1 Tbsp

Salt  1 1/2 tsp

For dum rice

Sliced medium onions deep fried  2 nos

Coriander chopped 4 tbsp

Mint 4 tbsp

Saffron strands soaked in milk 3-4 strands in 2 tbsp of milk

Rose Water 1 tbsp

Kewra water 1 tbsp

Garnish     

Desi ghee 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts 2 tbsp

Raisins 2 tbsp

Method   

Frying the Kofta      

1. In a large mixing bowl add grated paneer, mashed potatoes, chopped ginger, green chillies, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, roasted besan and salt and combine well. 

2. Make small balls and stuff them with chopped raisins and cashew nuts.      

3. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the paneer kofta balls till light golden in colour. 

4. Drain excess oil and keep it aside.      

For the Kofta curry 

1. Firstly, in a large saucepan, heat desi ghee and temper with all the spices. 

2. Now add the sliced onions and saute for 7 mins in medium heat till the onion turns mushy and light golden brown in colour.

3. Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 5 mins in medium heat. 

4. Keeping the flame on low heat, add red chilli powder and curd and cook in low flame till oil is separated from the slides.

5. Add salt and mix well. Add water and adjust the consistency. 

6. Add cream and rose water and simmer in low heat, stirring occasionally. 

7. Now add the fried paneer kofta balls and toss gently. 

8. Turn off the flame and keep it aside.

For rice prep

1. In a large vessel, heat water doubles the quantity of rice. 

2. Add a few drops of desi ghee and salt.     

3. When water starts boiling, add soaked and drained rice and allow it to cook in high flame till the rice is 80 percent done. 

4. Drain the water and pass the rice through a colander. 

5. Spread it on a tray to separate the grains.     

6. Dum cooking of the rice.     

7. The next step is to cook the biryani rice in dum. 

8. Heat a flat-based iron tawa on the burner and place a copper lagan on it. 

9. Now evenly spread a layer of the rice on top.     

10. Add chopped coriander, mint, and fried onions. 

11. Drizzle saffron soaked milk, rose and kewra water. 

12. Repeat the layering process with only rice. Seal the copper vessel with dough and put the lid on top of it and press it from all sides. 

13. Allow the biryani rice to cook in dum for 20-25 mins. Rest for another 10 mins.  

14. Serve hot biryani rice topped with kofta curry, Garnish with sauteed raisins and cashew nuts. Serve boorani raita and lachha onions alongside and enjoy.

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