Lauki Kofta/Bottle Gourd Kofta Curry recipe, How to make Lauki Kofta

In this recipe, lauki is used to make fried dumplings and then added to tangy tomato based gravy. This curry has a good flavor and is mildly spiced. This curry is a must try for non lauki lovers.
In this recipe I have made koftas and not pakoras (fritters); as pakoras absorb a lot of curry and swell up and may break. For those making pakoras it is advisable to add them when you serve and not before. Koftas don’t absorb much of the gravy.

Serves: 3

Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

For kofta-

• 2 cup grated lauki/bottle gourd
• ½ tsp. flannel seeds
• ¼ tsp anise seeds
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp grated ginger
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• 3-4 tbsp. besan/gram flour
• Salt as required
• Oil for frying koftas

For gravy-

• 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 5-6 curry leaves
• ½ tsp cumin/ jeera
• ¼ tsp. anise seeds/ajwain
• A pinch of asafoetida/hing
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• ¼ 0r ½ red chili powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• Sugar as required (optional)
• 1½ tbsp. oil
• Salt as per taste

Direction:

1. Rinse, peel and grate the lauki/bottle gourd.
2. Add salt to it and keep it aside.
   
3. Meanwhile blend tomatoes, green chili, ginger and curry leaves with little or no water to a smooth paste. Don’t add too much of water as the mixture splutters while frying.
   
4. Now squeeze the grated lauki and collect the juice in a bowl. Keep the juice aside.
   
5. Mix all the ingredients for making the koftas with the grated lauki except oil.
   
6. Make small round shaped balls or patties and shallow or deep fry in oil till golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
   
7. Remove extra oil from frying pan in which koftas were fried. Keep about 1.5 to 2 tbsp oil.
8. Heat the oil and add cumin, anise seeds and asafoetida, then add the tomato paste which was ground.
9. Fry for 5-7 minute and then add all the spice powder. Stir and continue to fry the masala paste till it starts to leave oil from sides.
10. Mix about ½ tsp. besan to the squeezed juice and add this to the fried masala. Add about ½ cup of water to the pan and stir.
    
11. Simmer for 5-7 minute. Don’t cover the pan with any lid. Lastly add salt and sugar if you want to reduce the tanginess. Taste the gravy before adding salt, as the bottle gourd juice also has salt.
12. Lastly add fried lauki kotas. Switch off the fire.

Tips:

You can make the koftas before hand and refrigerate, then make the curry next day. The koftas made from this recipe can be added to the gravy safely, they won’t break.

Serving suggestion:

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Hot Lauki Kofta with rotis, naan or steamed rice.