Paneer palak kofta can be described as Indian cheese spinach dumplings. These kofta are served with a creamy tomato sauce. It is an exotic gravy-based dish! It isn’t a particularly spicy gravy but rather creamy and lightly sweet, similar to shahi paneer. I have air fried the palak paneer kofta to reduce the fat content of the recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
Vegetarian curry with a delicious gravy that is worthy of being served at dinner parties or at a special occasion Gluten-free main meal Makes for a delicious weekend dinner
Paneer Spinach Kofta Curry Ingredients
For the kofta ingredients Spinach (Palak) – finely chopped Paneer – I used homemade paneer but you can also crumbly shop bought paneer Boiled potatoes – works as a binder Green chillies – finely chopped or crushed. Gram flour aka chickpea flour Salt to taste For the gravy Onion – I used a white onion Garlic – fresh garlic cloves Ginger – peeled Plum tomatoes crushed or use tomato puree Spice powders: red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin coriander powder, garam masala powder. Optionally add cardamom powder, black pepper powder and mace powder. Whole spices: optional but add wonderful depth of flavour – cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves Kasoori methi aka kasuri methi or dried fenugreek to give restaurant style flavours Milk – whole milk to make the gravy creamy and rich. Alternatively, use fresh cream or cashew nut paste. Sugar – to reduce the sharpness from the tomatoes Salt to taste Oil Garnishing coriander leaves (cilantro)
How to cook the paneer spinach kofta balls
In a large plate, add the mashed boiled potato, crumbled paneer, finely chopped spinach, gram flour, crushed green chilies and salt. Using your hands to incorporate everything well. Roll the kofta mixture into small equal sized round balls. You now have different cooking options. I have air fried the kofta to reduce the amount of oil used. To air fry – line the basket with kitchen foil and brush oil over the foil generously. Place the kofta in the basket with enough space apart. Brush the koftas with oil Air fry for 10 – 15 minutes at 200C or 400F or until golden brown. You can also use a paniyaram pan (aka appe pan) if you have it. Place the small balls into the rounds of the pan on low flame and gently rotate until you achieve a crispy outer layer The traditional method is to of course deep fry the kofta. You can also shallow fry them in a frying pan with oil.
How to make Palak Kofta Recipe
To make the gravy In a pan, boil onions and garlic until soft. Crush in a blender with ginger. In the same pan, drain the water, wipe dry and heat oil. Add in whole spices – bay leaf, cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. As they sizzle, add in the crushed onion and garlic mixture. Saute until the mixture reduces and oil sarts to leave the sides. Add in the tomato puree and add the spice powders. Also add in black pepper powder, cardamom powder and mace powder. Add half cup water and allow the gravy to cook. Once cooked, add in milk and sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, add the kofta to the curry just before serving.
Serving Suggestion
Serve this Palak Paneer Kofta Curry with Indian breads and rice for a complete meal. Breads such as Coriander and Garlic Naan or Soft Gujarati rotlis go best. Rice dishes such as jeera rice or takeaway style pilau rice go great. Make it a complete meal with Sultani Dal. Go for sides such as poppadoms, kachumber or raita. It is also luxurious enough to be served as part of a Diwali Dinner Party Menu It is important to note that the kofta should be added to the gravy just prior to serving to prevent them breaking apart.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container. If possible, store the kofta separately from the gravy to prevent the kofta from becoming too soggy.
Other Paneer Curries
Paneer Jalfrezi Matar Paneer – punjabi style Panch Phoran Paneer Niramish Paneer As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations! Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Note – This recipe was first published in September, 2010. The post has now been updated with more helpful content – the recipe remains the same.
