Indian: Malai Kofta – Potato-cheese Balls in Spicy Sauce

Put the potatoes in a saucepan with water and cook the jacket potatoes. Drain and let stand until the next day.

Put the milk in a small saucepan and heat it up. Just before boiling, add a little vinegar. The milk coagulates and flocculates. If a clear liquid can be seen when boiling, the separation process is complete, if not, add a little more vinegar. Place a clean tea towel in a sieve in the sink and carefully pour the cheese into it. The whey runs off and the cheese stays in the cloth. Let the whole thing drain off until no more liquid comes out. (Makes about 165-170g paneer.) Wrap the cheese in the damp tea towel and keep it in the refrigerator until the next day.

Peel the potatoes and grate them over the coarse grater. Grate the cheese as well. Mix all ingredients for the kofta well (except for the oil).

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat (8/9). Hold a wooden stick in the oil to see if it is hot enough. When the oil bubbles around the wooden handle, it is hot enough. Switch back to medium heat (6/9).

Using slightly moistened hands, form walnut-sized balls from the Kofta mass. I measured them with a small ice scoop. Fry the balls in portions in the hot oil until they are crispy brown and then drain on kitchen paper. ... The Kofta must now cool down.

Soak the cashew nuts in 50 ml of water.

Puree the onions

Puree the tomatoes and dates together

Peel and finely grate the ginger and garlic. You can also use a good tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste.

Heat the oil in a saucepan or a suitable pan on medium heat and let the "whole spices" sizzle in it for a few seconds until they have developed their aroma.

Add the onion puree and fry for a few minutes until it takes on a little color.

Add ginger and garlic and sauté briefly until it no longer smells raw.

Now stir in the pureed tomato and date mixture and switch down (4/9). Let the whole thing simmer until the oil settles a bit or it starts to shine. Stir again and again.

In the meantime, puree the cashew nuts with the water. (You can also grind the dry, not soaked cashews in a coffee grinder or something similar and then mix them with the water.)

Add the turmeric, garam masala and chilli and let heat briefly, then add the cashew mixture and mix in well. Let simmer briefly.

Pour 16,500 ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

At the end, season with salt and, if necessary, with sugar and stir in the fenugreek.

So, we're on the home stretch.

Place the cooled kofta in the sauce and just warm it up, don't boil it again, otherwise the balls will crumble.

If you like, you can sprinkle some chopped coriander into the dish.

Serve the 21st Malai Kofta with rice, naan or rooti. Simple yoghurt also goes very well with it, it takes away the heat a little.

If the sauce is too hot, stir in some yogurt.

You can also prepare this dish completely vegan if you replace the paneer with cauliflower or tofu, for example.

This dish is very easy to prepare and warm up later or the next day. To do this, add some water to the sauce, slowly bring to the boil and simmer a little, then heat the kofta in it over a lower heat.