Potato Croquettes

November 18, 2016

Malai kofta are Indian potato croquettes filled with paneer and desiccated coconut, fried until golden and finished in a yoghurt-tomato sauce with turmeric and chilli. Stuffed croquettes are classic snack and festive food in India, but with the sauce as the binding element they become a main course here.

The potatoes are cooked together with chilli, ginger and whole spices so they absorb flavour from the start. Once tender, they are mashed with chickpea flour and breadcrumbs, which both bind and give a little bite. Fresh cheese mixed with desiccated coconut and garam masala is wrapped in the potato mixture and shaped into balls, brushed with egg white and fried crisp in ghee.

The sauce is built in the same pan, picking up the browned bits from frying. Onion, garlic, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns are fried first, then yoghurt, turmeric and chilli powder are stirred in, and water and tomatoes bring the dish together. The croquettes are bathed in the sauce and baked through, absorbing the flavour without falling apart.

Serve with rice or flatbread.

Ingredients

Serves 4–6

Croquettes

1 kg potatoes, quartered
1 green chilli, chopped
1 tsp ginger, grated
½ tsp garam masala
2 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tsp breadcrumbs
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
250 g fresh cheese (paneer)
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 egg white, beaten
3–4 tbsp ghee (or oil)
salt

Sauce

2 bay leaves
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cloves
6 black peppercorns
150 ml natural yoghurt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
300 ml water
500 g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves, freshly chopped

Directions

Croquettes

Put the potatoes in a saucepan together with the chilli, ginger, coriander seeds and a quarter of the garam masala. Cover with water, add salt and cook until the potatoes are completely tender, about 15–20 minutes.

Drain and let the potatoes steam dry for a couple of minutes. Mash them together with the chickpea flour and breadcrumbs to a firm, cohesive mass. Season with salt. Divide into 12 equal portions.

Mix the fresh cheese with the desiccated coconut and the remaining garam masala. Divide this filling into 12 portions as well.

Flatten a portion of potato mixture in your palm. Place a portion of the cheese filling in the centre, close the potato mixture around it and roll into a smooth ball. Repeat with the rest.

Heat the ghee or oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush the croquettes with the beaten egg white and fry until golden all the way around, a couple of minutes per side. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer to absorbent paper and then to a heatproof dish.

Sauce

Increase the heat under the pan with the remaining fat. Add the bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns and fry for half a minute until fragrant. Add the onion and garlic and fry until the onion is golden, 5–7 minutes.

Reduce the heat and stir in the yoghurt, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir well so the yoghurt does not split.

Add the water and bring the sauce to the boil. Let it simmer for 10 minutes to bring the flavours together.

Pour the sauce over the croquettes in the dish and scatter the chopped tomatoes and fresh coriander leaves on top.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10–15 minutes, or until the croquettes are heated through and the sauce is bubbling. Serve immediately.

Notes

Preparation time about 30 minutes, total including the oven about 1 hour.

The croquettes can be shaped a few hours ahead and refrigerated. Fry and bake just before serving.

If paneer is not to hand, use a firm, mild fresh cheese or make paneer yourself from milk with lemon juice. The result will be slightly drier than with proper paneer, but it works.