Vegan Malai Kofta in the Air Fryer – Love at First Bite

I first tasted Malai Kofta in Rishikesh back in 2006 – and I fell in love. 💛
But every time I looked at recipes, it seemed too complicated, so I kept putting it off.

Now? My blog has grown, my confidence in the kitchen has skyrocketed, and with Shavuot just around the corner – it’s time to finally take on the challenge!

So, What is Malai Kofta?

Traditionally, these are soft potato and paneer dumplings, sometimes stuffed with cashews and raisins, deep-fried, and served in a rich tomato curry sauce.

But I wanted my own twist!
✅ Paneer is replaced with tofu
✅ Cashews are swapped for pistachios and almond butter
✅ Fresh tomatoes in the sauce are replaced with sun-dried tomatoes
✅ Deep frying? Not here! We’re baking them in the air fryer for a healthier version

And the result? Pure delight! 🎉
Golden on the outside, soft on the inside – and just as delicious as the original!
Even the non-vegans scraped their plates clean! 😍

🫓 Pair it with fresh chapati for a complete, satisfying Indian feast!

Enjoy every bite 😋🌸❣

RECIPE

Vegan Malai Kofta in the Air Fryer – Love at First Bite

Vegan Malai Kofta in the Air Fryer – the famous Indian dish, made healthier and easier!🔹 Tofu replaces paneer, pistachios & almond butter replace cashews🔹 Creamy tomato curry sauce with sun-dried tomatoes🔹 Baked in the air fryer – all the crispiness, none of the oil🔹 Best served warm with chapati for an authentic Indian experience!

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Servings 4

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

25 - 28 Koftas

Kofta

• ▢ 3 medium potatoes 650-700 grams
• ▢ 300 gram tofu
• ▢ ¼ cup amaranth flour
• ▢ ¼ cup cornstarch
• ▢ 4 Tablespoon canola oil
• ▢ 3 Tablespoon coriander leaves, finely chopped
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt by taste
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon chili flakes by taste
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ▢ ¼-½ teaspoon garam masala by taste

Kofta Filling

• ▢ raisins, cranberries, or golden berries, as the amount of koftas
• ▢ roasted and salted pistachios as the amount of koftas

Tomato Curry Sauce

Tomato Onion Puree

• ▢ 2 Tablespoon canola oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion, sliced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• ▢ 3 minced garlic
• ▢ 100 gram sundried tomatoes
• ▢ 1½ cups boiling water to soak the dried tomatoes
• ▢ 2 Tablespoon almond butter

Curry

• ▢ ½ cup (water (from which we soaked the tomatoes add gradually, as necessary
• ▢ 1 bay leave
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt by taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ ½ cup oat milk of coconut milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chopped fenugreek leaves kasuri methi

For Serving

• ▢ Coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

 

Kofta

• Peel the potatoes, slice them, put in a pot, cover with water, add salt, bring to a boil and cook until soft.
• Filter and leave in a colander over a bowl to drain completely.
• Drain the tofu from the liquid, and press it lightly to squeeze out more liquid; Crumble the tofu into a bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, mash the potatoes well until there are no lumps. Add the crumbled tofu and mix well.
• Add almond butter and oil and mix well. Add chopped coriander leaves, ground chili, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and salt.
• Add amaranth flour and cornstarch and mix well to form a soft dough.
• Oil your hands and make dumplings in the shape of balls with a diameter of about 3 cm (1.2 inches). Make a dimple in each dumpling with your finger and press in one pistachio and raisin. Close the dumpling with your fingers and, gently roll it again into a ball with your palms, place it on a plate.
• Heat the air fryer to 180 degrees Celsius (356 F) for 20 minutes. To bake in the oven - see the note below.
• Add the kofta to the basket - 5-7 units at a time.
• Fry until the koftas are nicely golden - if necessary, add a few more minutes. Keep aside.

Tomato Onion Puree

• Put the dried tomatoes in a bowl and add a cup and a half of boiling water until the tomatoes are covered. Cover the bowl - leave for about ten minutes. Drain, but keep the water. We will use them later.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry the onion until it becomes translucent.
• Add crushed garlic and ginger and fry while stirring until the onion turns golden.
• Add the dried and drained tomatoes and saute together for about a minute.
• Add almond butter and mix well; add ½-3/4 cup of the tomato soaking water and mix well; remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• Transfer to the blender and process to a smooth paste; Add water if necessary. Set aside.

Curry

• Place a wok or a wide pan on medium heat, pour the tomato and onion puree, and stir for a few seconds.
• Add ½ cup of coconut milk or oat milk and mix well.
• Gradually add ¼ - ½ cup from the water you soaked the dried tomatoes while stirring until you get the desired thickness.
• Add salt, bay leaf, chili flakes, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and a quarter teaspoon of garam masala. Mix well and bring to a boil; Lower the heat and add the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well and remove from heat.

For Serving

• Pour the sauce on a serving plate and place the koftas on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or coriander leaves and serve.

Notes

You can make the kofta in the oven; in this case, we will get patties that are soft on the inside with a crispy and thick crust on the outside:

1. Heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (374 F).
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spray or brush it with oil.
3. Place the koftas 2-3 cm apart 
4. Brush or spray the top of the kofta with natural oil.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden.
6. Turn over and bake for another twenty minutes until nicely golden.
7. Remove from the oven and wait 3-5 minutes before removing the koftas from the pan.

 

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