Lauki Kofta

Hello All

After a 15 days break ... I am back again... :) :).. hope you all missed my post ;) :).... 

Everytime when I take name of Bottle gourd or lauki... in front of my husband he makes a weird face...as if I took name of some weird thing.... In the same way whenever we go for grocery shopping... and If I touch the Bottlegourd to put in the basket... his expression will change immediately :) :).... The same happened with me in my childhood.... I was never in favour of such veggies like bottle gourd, snake gourd , etc... But then my mom came out with yummy dishes with these veggies :) :) ... And now I also try my mom recipes and my hubby expression changed from big NO NO to YES YES for these veggies :) :)

I think same happens with most of us.... after seeing vegetables like bottlegourd , pumpkin , snake gourd , Sponge gourd , etc.... But all of us know these above mentioned veggies have several health benefits .... Bottle gourd rich in Vitamin C, Iron , Zinc and magesium... So we need to include such veggies in our diet some how.... and in such a way that everyone in the family eats it with enjoyment :) :) ........

Previously I discussed one such yummy recipe with bottle gourd... that is Bottle Gourd Parathas...  So today will take one step further.. and will prepare other yummy dish.. this time a curry that is Lauki kofta :) :)...  Lauki Kofta curry is very popular curry. Its a deep fried balls made from bottle gourd and some spices. So, lauki kofta means fried bottle gourd balls in onion-tomato gravy or onion tomato peanuts gravy or onion cashewnuts gravy or sesame seeds peanut onion gravy etc.... That is many different types of gravy can me made for this koftas... But today I am sharing a simple recipe with readily available ingredients :) :).. So lets start preparing...

Ingredients :-

Grated Bottle gourd (Lauki or Doodhi) – 2 cups (i.e one meduim sized lauki)
Chickpea flour (Besan) – ⅓ cup
Green chili – 2 
one small  ½  inch piece of ginger
Cilantro – ⅓ cup, chopped finely
4-5 curry leaves
8-10 cashewnuts
Salt – to taste
Oil – for frying
Onion – 1 medium (1 cup)
Tomatoes – 2 medium (1 ½ cups)
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon for koftas and  ½ teaspoon for gravy
Red chili powder – ½ teaspoon for koftas and ½ teaspoon for gravy
Yogurt – ⅓ cup, whisked
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli  - 2
Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
asfotedia -  ½ teaspoon for koftas and  ½ teaspoon for gravy
Carom seeds or ajwain 1 teaspoon
a pinch of meeths soda or baking soda
1/2 cup of grated coconut(optional) 
Salt – to taste

Procedure :-

Squeeze the extra water from lauki and keep water aside to use in gravy.In this we can get the dissloved vitamins also :) :) ... Now add besan , cumin powder , red chilly powder, carom seeds , meetha soda , asfotedia and salt to taste to the grated lauki.Mix it well and make a batter.Heat the oil for frying.Once hot lower the flame to meduim.And make the dumpling of your choice shape and size.The mixture will be sticky.Fry the koftas on meduim falme till golden brown.Take out on a paper towel so that extra oil can be soaked by paper...

In a jar take tomatoes, onion, green chilly , ginger and cashewnuts.Grind it in a paste with a minium of a water... very very less water to be used.In a pan take oil, once heated add cumin seeds and asfotedia, salt , dry red chilly.Then add cumin powder, red chilly powder , coriander powder and stir for a minute.Then add the paste from the jar.Continous stir for 10-15 mins until the oil separates from the gravy.Try to stir continously other wise as water pops out from the gravy you can get the hurt...be carefull....

Once gravy done add the water which we squeezed from lauki.If you want more water you can add plin water.Thickness of gravy depends on you.Then cover the pan.. and on the meduim falme let it cook till bubbles coming out.Once done now add garam masala... and yohgurt...And stir well.Then add the koftas to the gravy.. give a very smal and easy stir..Cover again the pan.. let it cook on slow flame for 7-8 mins.. Then close the gas... let it rest for 10 mins... Once 10 mins done garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut :) :)... 

Serve hot with chapatis or parathas or rice :) :)...

Enjoy the koftas with friend and family :) :).. Waiting to hear from you all ... Share your views.. comments... experiences... :) :) .....Will again back soon with easy yummy tasty but as promised simple Recipes :) :)..till then good bye ..tc..