Malai Kofta vs Matar Paneer

Appetizing Dishes Which Will Make Your Day: Malai Kofta vs Matar Paneer

When you crave some comfort food and something Indian, many appetizing dishes will indeed make your day. Two such dishes that are a part of the North Indian cuisine are malai kofta and matar paneer. With some flatbreads on the side, indulging in these aromatic, flavor-rich dishes will feel heavenly and satisfying. Here are some malai kofta vs matar paneer facts to clear the air for you:

What is Malai Kofta?

The origin of the name Malai Kofta stems from the meat-version of koftas that were served at the Moghul courts. Malai means creamy/buttery, and kofta means spiced fried balls (made of potatoes and paneer). Kofta has several variations ranging over 15 countries, including the Indian subcontinent; vegetarian, meat, and fish being the most used ingredients. 

Oodles of fresh cream added to the dish gives it a subtly sweet taste. Regardless of the variation, it goes best with flatbreads or saffron rice. The crispy texture of the outside and smooth insides of the malai kofta dumplings, seeping in a mildly spiced and sweet curry, make it a mouth-watering dish.

Variations of Malai Kofta

The major variation lies in the main ingredient used for the kofta balls. For a vegetarian dish, an Indian recipe typically includes the deep frying of potato and paneer balls. If you’re looking for a healthier option, you could also use an air fryer for this purpose.

Koftas often include different meats and are similar to shish kebabs, using meat such as chicken, lamb, beef, or pork. 

What is Matar Paneer?

Matar paneer is a tasty winter dish. The two main ingredients of this dish are matar (fresh green peas) and fresh paneer (Indian cottage cheese). This is among the more popular Indian curries and can be found at any Indian Restaurant across the globe. In fact, matar paneer is a homemade curry that has become quite popular.

Another equally rich paneer dish is Shahi Paneer, which has a creamy texture and is made of nuts and seeds. If you’re curious to know more, look into shahi paneer vs mutter paneer.

Variations of Matar Paneer

Those looking into vegan options could add tofu instead of paneer. Most of the variation lies in the method of preparation of the gravy. Almost similar to another paneer dish – Paneer Butter Masala, the difference lies in the use of butter. The thickness of the creamy curry could be a result of adding a few tablespoons of cashew paste (for vegans) or heavy cream.

The gravy requires a major ingredient: a prepared onion-tomato paste. Usually, it could be blended with a bit of yogurt or a few cashew pieces for an enhanced taste.

If you’re wondering about malai paneer vs paneer: which is better, you’ll have to read an interesting article addressing the topic.

Malai Kofta vs Matar Paneer: The Similarities

  • The key ingredient used for both these recipes includes paneer (although used in different forms). Rather than store-bought paneer, the taste is better with homemade paneer that is fresh and ready to use immediately.
  • The gravy of both dishes is more or less the same, which is a mix of onion paste, cashew paste, and tomato puree. With ripe tomatoes, you end up with flavorful tomato pulp. 
  • The consistency of these dishes is smooth, creamy, and slightly thick.

Malai Kofta vs Matar Paneer: The Differences

  • The paneer in malai kofta is in the grated form for making the paneer koftas, while it’s added in the form of small cubes for matar paneer.
  • The gravy of matar paneer has the same 3 ingredients as malai kofta – onion, tomato, and cashew nuts. However, additionally, spices and extra ingredients are ground together for a different taste.
  • Malai kofta is a sweet and spicy dish, while matar paneer is a flavorful dish made with several spices and seasonings. 
  • Cumin seeds are used to prepare matar paneer, but not for malai kofta.

Nutritional Information (Approximate values)

 Malai KoftaMatar Paneer
Calories539371
Fat39 g28 g
Cholesterol27 mg41 mg
Sodium624 mg764 mg
Potassium857 mg386 mg
Carbohydrates40 g18 g
          Fiber6 g4 g
          Sugar8 g7 g
Protein12 g12 g

Malai Kofta Recipe

There are two parts to this recipe: one is the making of the kofta, and the other is preparing the gravy.

For the Kofta

A medium potato or two must be boiled and then grated into a bowl. To this, add grated paneer, one-fourth tsp chili powder, salt, one-fourth tsp garam masala powder, two tablespoons cornflour, or tapioca starch, together with three tablespoons almond flour. For a nut-free option, two tablespoons of milk powder could replace the almond flour.

Mix the ingredients and make a dough. Make equally shaped medium-sized kofta balls. Flatten each one and place finely chopped cashew nuts and raisin mix (made with 10-12 chopped cashew nuts and one tbsp raisins). Make them into dumpling balls again and keep them aside for about 30 minutes. 

For the Gravy

Prepare the onion paste with two medium or large onions, cashew nut paste, and tomato puree with two medium tomatoes.

In a pan or wok/Kadai, heat oil (three tablespoons), add one bay leaf, a one-inch cinnamon stick, two green cardamoms, and two cloves. Add in the onion paste and saute till it’s browned. Add two tsp of ginger garlic paste, followed by the tomato puree. After about 5-6 minutes on medium heat, it’s time to add the spice powders. Add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, fennel powder, cumin powder, one teaspoon coriander powder, and one teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder. 

After sauteeing for a few minutes, add in the cashew paste, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon sugar, and season with salt. Add in two cups of water. Let it simmer for a bit, followed by one teaspoon of crushed Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and two tablespoons of light cream or cooking cream. 

Final Step

Deep fry the kofta balls until golden-brown. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate (the paper napkin absorbs extra oil). Place these fried dumpling balls on the gravy and serve the kofta with coriander leaves garnishing. 

Matar paneer is a much simpler recipe and can be prepared in far lesser time.

Did this malai kofta vs matar paneer information get your mouth-watering already? Prepare these dishes and you’ll be amazed at how good they taste. And if you’re curious about paneer masala, check out malai kofta vs paneer masala.

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