Lauki Kofta Recipe
Lauki Kofta is a very interesting and delicious kofta recipe made with grated lauki or bottle gourd. The koftas are then added to an onion tomato gravy and simmered.
Ingredients
For Koftas:
- 1 medium-sized lauki / doodhi / bottle gourd
- 4-5 tbsp of besan / gram flour
- 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
- A pinch of hing / asafoetida
- 8 tiny pieces of tamarind optional
- 1/2 tsp of salt or to taste
- Oil for deep frying
For Gravy:
- 2 tbsp of oil just take a bit from the oil you used to deep fry koftas
- 2 of onions sliced
- 3 of tomatoes chopped
- 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp of coriander powder
- 1 tsp of red chilli powder adjust to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
- Salt to taste
- 4-5 tbsp of plain curd/yogurt
Instructions
For the Koftas:
- Quarter the lauki and peel it. Remove the seeds inside and grate it
- Squeeze out all excess water and add the grated lauki to a bowl with the chilli powder, salt, besan and hing. Mix well to combine.
- Make small lemon-sized balls with this mixture and make a small dent in the centre to place the tamarind.
- Cover it up and make the ball smooth.
- Fry in hot oil until brown all over. Keep the flame to medium hot and keep turning to cook evenly.
- Drain and set aside.
For the Gravy:
- Heat oil in a pan add add the sliced onions.
- When they soften and start to brown around the edge, add the turmeric powder, coriander, chilli powder and salt.
- Cook until the masala turns fragrant and is blended well with the onions (about 3 mins).
- Add the tomatoes and about 1/2 cup water.
- Bring to boil and simmer until the tomatoes are soft (about 5-7 mins).
- Puree this mixture in a blender and return to the pan.
- Bring to boil and add the yogurt and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well, adjust salt and remove from fire.
- Add the koftas into the gravy and let it sit for an hour or so before serving