If you are bored of eating the same old lentils (dal), potato, or paneer dishes for dinner every night, today is the perfect day to try something new and delicious. After all, who doesn’t love the spicy, flavorful food served at restaurants or roadside eateries (dhabas)? But what if you could recreate that same fantastic taste in your own kitchen? Today, we bring you a truly special and unique recipe: Rajma Malai Kofta.
You may have eaten Malai Kofta before, but these koftas—made from kidney beans (rajma)—offer a completely different and delightful flavor. When these soft, tender rajma koftas are immersed in a rich, creamy gravy infused with cashews, they practically melt in your mouth. This dish is perfect for a weekend dinner or for impressing guests at home. Let’s look at an easy way to prepare it.
Ingredients for Rajma Malai Kofta
For the koftas:
1 cup boiled kidney beans (soaked overnight and cooked thoroughly)
2 boiled potatoes (for binding)
1 finely chopped onion and 2 green chilies
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, and salt to taste
Oil for frying
For the dhaba-style gravy:
Paste of 2 large onions and 3 tomatoes
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
Paste of 8–10 cashews (for richness)
½ cup fresh cream (malai)
1 teaspoon each of coriander powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
2 tablespoons oil or butter
Method for preparing Rajma Malai Kofta
Start by thoroughly mashing the boiled kidney beans in a large bowl. Ensure that there is no excess water in the beans. Now, add the boiled potatoes, finely chopped onion, green chilies, fresh coriander, and all the dry spices to the mixture, and combine everything well. Shape the mixture into small, round or oval-shaped *koftas* (dumplings). Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry these *koftas* until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove them from the oil and set them aside on a plate.
To prepare the gravy, heat some butter or oil in a separate pan. Add a pinch of cumin seeds along with ginger-garlic paste and sauté. Next, add the onion paste and cook until it turns golden brown. Follow this by adding the tomato paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder; sauté the mixture until the oil begins to separate from the spices.
Once the masala is well-cooked, stir in the cashew paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Lower the heat and add fresh cream (or *malai*). Stir continuously to prevent the gravy from curdling. Pour in half a cup of water, add salt to taste, and bring the gravy to a boil.
Once the gravy thickens, add *kasuri methi* (dried fenugreek leaves) and some fresh coriander, then turn off the heat. Be careful not to add the *koftas* to the boiling gravy, as they might break. When ready to serve, place the *koftas* in a serving bowl and pour the hot, creamy gravy over them.
There you have it—your *dhaba*-style 'Rajma Malai Kofta' is ready! Serve it hot with butter naan, *lachha paratha*, or *jeera* rice. Believe me, anyone who tastes this will be left licking their fingers and will surely ask you for the recipe!
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