Malai Kofta

Malai kofta is the showstopper of North Indian restaurant menus, the dish vegetarians order when they want something truly celebratory. Golden-fried dumplings of paneer and potato float in a silky tomato-cashew gravy that is sweet, rich, and gently spiced. It is the kind of dish reserved for weddings, festivals, and dinners where you want to impress without a single piece of meat.

Tender dumplings in a velvet-cashew sauce

The koftas are crisp outside and impossibly soft within, with the mild creaminess of paneer and a whisper of green chili. The gravy is smooth and luxurious, sweet from tomatoes and cream, with ground cashews giving it a nutty body that clings to every dumpling. Serve it with buttery naan or jeera rice, and everyone will ask for the recipe. It is a dish of gentle contrasts, crisp against creamy and sweet against mildly spiced, and it never fails to impress. Save it for a special occasion or a Sunday when you have time to linger in the kitchen.

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