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A royal one-pot meal featuring fragrant basmati rice cooked with whole spices, layered with delicate, deep-fried vegetable and paneer dumplings. Perfect for special occasions and festive dinners.
For 4 servings
Prepare the Koftas (15 minutes)
Fry the Koftas (10 minutes)
Prepare the Pulao Base (15 minutes)
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A royal one-pot meal featuring fragrant basmati rice cooked with whole spices, layered with delicate, deep-fried vegetable and paneer dumplings. Perfect for special occasions and festive dinners.
This mughlai recipe takes 85 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 664 calories per serving with 15.4g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Cook the Masala and Rice (10 minutes)
Assemble and Cook on 'Dum' (25 minutes)
Garnish and Serve
For a lower-calorie option, bake the koftas instead of deep-frying. Arrange them on a baking sheet, spray with a little oil, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
Add 2 tablespoons of cashew paste along with the curd for a creamier, richer masala base. You can also add a handful of fried cashews and raisins along with the fried onions during layering.
Replace paneer with crumbled firm tofu or more mashed potatoes. Use a plant-based yogurt and a neutral vegetable oil instead of ghee.
Feel free to use other vegetables in the koftas, such as grated cauliflower, cabbage, or finely chopped spinach. Ensure you squeeze out any excess water from these vegetables before adding.
Paneer and besan (gram flour) provide a good amount of vegetarian protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
Basmati rice is a source of complex carbohydrates, which provide sustained energy to the body throughout the day.
The variety of mixed vegetables used in the koftas contributes essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which are important for digestion and overall health.
The whole spices like cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon are known in traditional medicine for their digestive properties, helping to reduce bloating and improve gut health.
A typical serving of Vegetable Kofta Pulao (around 410g) contains approximately 550-650 calories. The calorie count can vary based on the amount of oil absorbed during frying and the quantity of ghee used.
This dish is a balanced meal containing carbohydrates from rice, protein from paneer and besan, and vitamins from vegetables. However, since the koftas are deep-fried, it is high in fat and calories. It's best enjoyed as an occasional treat. For a healthier version, you can bake or air-fry the koftas.
Yes, you can prepare and fry the koftas a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add them to the pulao during the final 'dum' cooking step as instructed.
Koftas usually break if the mixture is too moist or if there isn't enough binding agent. Ensure your boiled potatoes are not waterlogged and add a bit more besan (gram flour) or a tablespoon of cornstarch to the mixture. Also, make sure the oil is hot enough before you add the koftas.
The main difference lies in the cooking method. In pulao, the rice and masala are cooked together in a single pot. In biryani, the rice is par-cooked separately and then layered with a separately cooked meat or vegetable gravy, and then cooked on 'dum' (slow steam).
Store leftover pulao in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, sprinkle a little water over the pulao and microwave for 2-3 minutes or heat it in a pan on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through.