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was wondering what I should cook today. Then I thought why not cook Spinach MalaiKofta in Mughlai Gravy. We normally cook Spinach and Paneer in Shahi Gravy orPunjabi Style. However I have used the Mughlai style to create this glamorous and rich

dish and came up with Palak Malai Kofta in Mughlai gravy (Spinach and Cheese balls inspicy Mughlai gravy.)

Mughlai cuisine is a South Asian cuisine, influenced by the imperial kitchens of the MughalEmpire. It represents the cooking style used in Delhi and Punjab (now partitioned betweenPakistan and India). The cuisine is strongly influenced by Persian, and Turkish cuisines of Central Asia. The cuisine of most Indian restaurants in UK and USA can be termed Mughlai.

India is a country with vast diversities. Many cultures, traditions, way of worship and widevariety of cuisines found a favorable ground for growth and healthy nourishment. As withfusion and other influences India developed a large number of savory dishes. The cuisine of India is as vast as its people. Each and every ethnic group has its own distinctive foodpreferences along with their different culture.

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India has been subjected to several invasions from Arab, Central Asia, the Mughal Empireand Persia in its early days because of its wealth both material cultural, and religious.

These invasions had a great influence on Indian cooking.The Muslims from western Asia brought the Mughlai cuisines to India in the 12th centurywhen Mughal rulers conquered a large portion of India. During the Mughal dynasty, thesedishes were prepared for the Mughal Emperors for elegant and fine dining with dry fruitsand nuts. The hospitality of sharing of food with others in Mughal courtly society helpedIndia to absorb it as its own while making Indian cuisine to stand apart with pride.

On one hand these Mughals brought their rich, aromatic food culture in India and theirlavish tastes and liberal attitude as far as cuisines are concerned allowed the fusion of culinary art. Now these dishes form an important part of the Indian culinary culture. Quite

ideally therefore, apart from giving the greatest architectural monuments, the Mughalshave also changed the countrys cooking by merging Middle Eastern cuisine with Indianspices and ingredients to give the most beautiful Mughlai cuisine. As a result of this MughlaiCuisine emerged.

The Mughal influence on Indian food is immense. Mughlai cuisine is one of the richest,popular and lavish cuisines in the country and world over. These are relatively spicy andhave unique fragrance. The cooking method includes lots of milk and cream with exotic

8/8/2019 Palak Malai Kofta in Mughlai Gravy

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spices, nuts and dried fruits to make it rich and spicy. Biryani, Korma, Palau and Pasendiare some of the famous Mughlai cuisine.

The Mughal influence on Indian food supported the evolution of Indian food to a great extent. The Mughlai cuisine full of rich gravies, Pulau and non-vegetarian foods such as

kebabs, along with the fruits like apricots, peaches, plums and melons contoured thestructure of the Indian food while offering it a distinct dimension.

Each of the Muslim rulers offered something or the other to make Indian food the potpourriof spice, taste and flavor. When Babur invaded India he brought his stylish food habits suchas grilled meats along with different varieties of fruits and nuts from Central Asia. His sonHumayun continued this tradition and also introduced a new tradition of rice-based Pulausand using of fruits and nuts in the meat stews in India. Marriages of Mughal rulers toseveral Rajput princesses added a new dimension to the Mughal cuisines.

Due to the flavored sauces and butter based curries in the Mughlai cuisine, they are very

much popular among the food lovers. Mughlai food offers tempting and delicious variety of food such as kulfi with rose petals sprinkled on it, hot spicy soup and ginger based roastedmeats.

People in India and all over the world are crazy about Mughlai cuisines. The taste of Mughlai cuisine vary from extremely mild to spicy and is often associated with a distinctivearoma and the taste of ground and whole spices. A Mughlai meal course is an elaboratebuffet of main course dishes with a variety of accompaniments.

Here I am combining Mughlai Gravy and regular cooking.

Ingredients for the Koftas

1. Baby spinach roughly chopped, blanched and drained 3 cups2. Corn starch 3 tbsp3. Salt and red chilli powder to taste4. Grated paneer 2 cup5. Very finely chopped onion 1 tbsp6. Chopped cilantro 1 tbsp7. Finely chopped green chillis 1 tsp8. Coarsely chopped cashew nuts 2 tbsp9. Chat masala tsp10. Oil for frying

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Ingredients for the Mughlai Gravy

1. Coconut oil 1 tbsp2. Black cardamoms 2-33. Cinnamon powder 1 pinch4. Cumin powder 1 pinch5. Garam masala tsp6. Turmeric powder tsp7. Chopped onions 2 tbsp8. Garlic, ginger paste 1tbsp9. Chopped green chilli 110. Tomato puree 3 tbsp11. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 2 tsp12. Crushed cashew nuts 2 tbsp13. Heavy cream cup14. Chopped cilantro 1 tbsp

Methodology:Palak Malai Koftas

1. Take the blanched and drained spinach leaves and mash them into a smoothmixture. You can puree even to get smooth mixture. Add corn starch, salt andred chilli powder and mix to make a medium dough like consistency

2. Mix the grated paneer, the onions, cilantro, green chillis, and cashew nuts, salt and chat masala properly.

3. Make small balls of the paneer mixture and keep aside.4. Oil the palm of your hand and take some spinach mix. Flatten it out, put the

paneer ball in it and wrap the spinach around it to enclose the paneer completelyin the spinach. Keep these koftas for hour in the friz to settle

5. Deep fry in hot oil and drain on paper towels, slice into halves and save.

Mughlai gravy1. Heat oil in a thick bottom pan and add onions, garlic, ginger, green chillis and

black cardamoms to it one after the other and stir till onions are slightlybrowned.

2. Add the kasuri methi (fenugreek) followed by tomato puree.

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3. Cook till oil separates out and then add the cinnamon powder, cumin powder,garam masala, salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Add the cashew nutsalso and stir for about 2-3 minutes or until done on low heat. This will help forthe spice flavor to fuse into the gravy. And you start getting pleasant aroma.

4. Add the heavy cream and 1 cup water and cook the gravy till it becomes thick and glossy.

5. Gently slide in the koftas in the gravy and let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes, tillthe koftas absorb all the flavors and become soft making sure these do not mash.

6. Garnish with a dash of grated carrot. Serve in a shallow platter. Cut the reservedkoftas into halves and use as a garnish to bring out the colors of the dish theyellow of the gravy and the green envelope of the koftas with the white insides.

Serve with naan or rotis or rice. It is a great dish decorating the dining table.