Kadhoo(lauki) Ja Kofta
Author: Alka
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Lauki ke kofte or fried, spicy bottle gourd dumplings cooked in onion gravy
Ingredients
For Kofte
  • Bottle gourd (Kadhoo) 1 medium sized
  • Gram flour 2 tbsp
  • Oil 2 tsp
  • Salt
  • A pinch of baking soda
  • Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder ½ tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Annardana or dried pomegranate seeds (optional) a spoonful
  • Green chillies 3-4
  • Coriander leaves
  • Ginger as much preferred
  • Garlic 3-4 cloves (or if available use 2 tsp of chopped saayi thoom or spring onions)
  • Oil for frying
For Curry
  • Onions 2
  • Tomato 1 large sized
  • Green chillies 2-3
  • Ginger about an inch
  • Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Garam masala powder ¼ tsp
  • Salt
  • Oil 1-2 tsp
  • Kitchen king powder and kasuri methi powder (strictly optional) ¼ tsp and 1 tsp respectively
Method
To Make Kofte
  1. Peel and grate lauki, rinse with water and boil in salted water for 2 minutes
  2. Let it cool,then squeeze out water (you can use this water as vegetable stock for gravy) add very little salt, turmeric powder,chopped green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves and garam masala powder. Taste and adjust the seasoning
  3. Then add two heaped tablespoons of gram flour (besan), one spoon of oil, a pinch of baking soda, cumin seeds and mix properly
  4. Grease palms of your hands and take a small portion of this mixture and make a round or oval shape
  5. Fry it properly on medium flame in hot oil, till crisp brown.Repeat the procedure for rest of mixture (If koftas tend to break, then either oil is not properly hot or you need to add some more amount of besan)
To Make Gravy
  1. Fry chopped onions in little amount of oil, till brown
  2. Add grind-ed tomato, green chillies, ginger and turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, kitchen king and kasuri methi and fry till thick paste is obtained. Alternatively one can fry the onions, then grind them to attain a smooth gravy
  3. Add salt and little water to achieve gravy like consistency. Let it boil for few minutes and simmer it till the rawness of masalas is gone (if using pressure cooker wait for 4 whistles)
  4. While serving, place few kofte in bowl, pour hot gravy over it and garnish it with coriander leaves. Never boil the kofte in gravy, as they are very soft and would crumble and get mashed easily.
  5. Tastes best with phulkas or Rotis
Recipe by Sindhi Rasoi |Sindhi Recipes at https://test.sindhirasoi.com/2008/06/lauki-kofta/