Lauki Kofta
(Bottle gourd, Dudhi or Ghiya kofta)
Lauki kofta curry is the tastiest dish that can be made with lauki. In North India Lauki (Bottle gourd) is also known as Ghiya or Doodhi. It is a common vegetable in Indian kitchen, loved by some, and hated by many, they think lauki is boring and tasteless but they will surely love lauki kofta curry.
Lauki koftas are prepared with grated lauki mixed with spices and besan (gram flour) and deep fried, then simmered into the spicy gravy. Lauki koftas are served with chapatti or parathas and accompanied with another side vegetable dish and raita (yogurt). Lauki kofta curry is perfect for regular lunch and dinner or even included in party menus. These delicious kofta balls can be enjoyed as appetizers or as evening snacks with tea.
Lauki koftas are prepared with grated lauki mixed with spices and besan (gram flour) and deep fried, then simmered into the spicy gravy. Lauki koftas are served with chapatti or parathas and accompanied with another side vegetable dish and raita (yogurt). Lauki kofta curry is perfect for regular lunch and dinner or even included in party menus. These delicious kofta balls can be enjoyed as appetizers or as evening snacks with tea.
Ingredients for the koftas:
2 Cups grated lauki (bottle gourd)
½ Cup of gram flour or as needed
1 Medium green chilies-fine chopped
¼ Cup fine chopped onions
½ Tablespoon grated ginger
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
2 Cups of vegetable oil for frying the koftas
Make about 18 balls
2 Cups grated lauki (bottle gourd)
½ Cup of gram flour or as needed
1 Medium green chilies-fine chopped
¼ Cup fine chopped onions
½ Tablespoon grated ginger
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
2 Cups of vegetable oil for frying the koftas
Make about 18 balls
Lauki
(Bottle gourd, Dudhi or Ghiya)
onion- chopped
Ginger- Grated
Red chili powder
Cooking oil
|
Green chili- Chopped
Besan (Gra flour)
Salt
Water
|
Ingredients for the gravy:
2 Medium size onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Small size ripe tomatoes
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger- fine grated
1 Medium green chilies– chopped
3 Tablespoons plain yogurt (optional)
2 Teaspoons coriander powder
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder (Haldi)
½ Teaspoon garam masala powder
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
½ Cup of whole milk (optional)
½ Cup of chopped coriander leaves
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
2 Medium size onions
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Small size ripe tomatoes
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger- fine grated
1 Medium green chilies– chopped
3 Tablespoons plain yogurt (optional)
2 Teaspoons coriander powder
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder (Haldi)
½ Teaspoon garam masala powder
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
½ Cup of whole milk (optional)
½ Cup of chopped coriander leaves
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
Onions, Tomatoes, Ginger,
Garlic, Green chili & Coriander leaves
Coriander powder
Garam Masala
Yogurt
Oil
|
Red chili powder
Green chili-chopped
Chopped coriander leaves
Salt
|
Turmeric powder
Ginger- Grated
Milk
Water
|
Directions for making the koftas:
1. Peel the lauki and with the grater fine grate it.
1. Peel the lauki and with the grater fine grate it.
Peel Lauki
|
Slice lauki
|
Grate Lauki
|
Grated Lauki
|
2. Grated lauki has lot of water, take some lauki at a time and press gently
between your palms to squeeze the water out. Save the water and use it for
the gravy.
between your palms to squeeze the water out. Save the water and use it for
the gravy.
Squeeze lauki and take water out
|
Squeezed Lauki
|
3. Place the squeezed lauki in the bowl, add gram flour, chopped onions,
chopped green chilies, red chili powder, grated ginger and salt and mix
everything together to the consistency for rolling the balls for koftas.
Note: Mix spices and other ingredients in grated Cabbage just before you
are ready to fry the kofta otherwise it will become watery.
chopped green chilies, red chili powder, grated ginger and salt and mix
everything together to the consistency for rolling the balls for koftas.
Note: Mix spices and other ingredients in grated Cabbage just before you
are ready to fry the kofta otherwise it will become watery.
Add Ginger, Green chilies, Onion, Gram flour & spices & mix
|
Mix lauki with all the ingredients
|
4. Before you start making balls heat 2 cups of oil in a frying pan or a kadhi on
medium heat in about 8 to 10 minutes oil will become hot.
medium heat in about 8 to 10 minutes oil will become hot.
Lauki kofta mix
|
Add oil in a pan and heat
|
5. While oil is heating up grease your palms and take a little portion of the dough
at a time and roll into small balls. Place the kofta balls on the plate.
6. Grated lauki contain water try to make kofta balls as quickly as you can
otherwise dough become watery and you need to add more gram flour.
at a time and roll into small balls. Place the kofta balls on the plate.
6. Grated lauki contain water try to make kofta balls as quickly as you can
otherwise dough become watery and you need to add more gram flour.
Grease your palms
|
Take some kofta dough
|
Roll the dough into small ball
|
Lauki kofta ball
|
7. To test the oil, drop a small piece of dough in the hot oil if the dough starts
sizzling and comes up it means oil is hot enough, turn the heat down.
sizzling and comes up it means oil is hot enough, turn the heat down.
Lauki kofta balls
|
Drop a piece of dough in oil
|
8. Now gently drop 7 to 8 balls in the hot oil. Do not touch the balls, with the
cooking spoon start flickering the hot oil over koftas.
cooking spoon start flickering the hot oil over koftas.
Gently drop the kofta balls in hot oil
|
Flicker oil over the kofta balls
|
9. Let the koftas fry for 2 minute once the bottom of the balls looks light brown,
turn them around, and let the other side fry, with the spatula flip balls around
few times for 8 to 10 minutes or until they become golden brown. Balls should
be fried on low heat so that inside of the balls get cooked.
turn them around, and let the other side fry, with the spatula flip balls around
few times for 8 to 10 minutes or until they become golden brown. Balls should
be fried on low heat so that inside of the balls get cooked.
Turn the kofta ball to other side
|
Kofta's become light brown
|
10. Once the balls become golden brown or the desired color take them off the oil
and place them in a plate over the paper towel so that extra oil could be
absorbed.
11. Turn the heat down because the oil is hot and you do not want the other batch
of balls fried quickly.
12. Drop another batch of koftas balls then raise the heat a little and let them fry
Repeat the process until all the balls are fried.
and place them in a plate over the paper towel so that extra oil could be
absorbed.
11. Turn the heat down because the oil is hot and you do not want the other batch
of balls fried quickly.
12. Drop another batch of koftas balls then raise the heat a little and let them fry
Repeat the process until all the balls are fried.
Kofta balls become golden brown
|
Take the kofta's out from hot oil
|
Place the fried kofta over paper towel
|
Fried Lauki koftas
|
Directions for making the gravy:
1. Use a food chopper or blender to mince the onions and garlic. Mixture should
be Coarse.
1. Use a food chopper or blender to mince the onions and garlic. Mixture should
be Coarse.
In a chopper add onion & garlic
|
Mince onion and garlic
|
2. On medium high heat add the oil in a wide nonstick frying pan, add minced
onions and garlic and sauté them while periodically stirring.
3. Onions will have a lot of water so for the first 4 to 5 minutes keep the heat
high so that all the onion water evaporates quickly.
onions and garlic and sauté them while periodically stirring.
3. Onions will have a lot of water so for the first 4 to 5 minutes keep the heat
high so that all the onion water evaporates quickly.
In a pan add oil minced onions, and Garlic and fry
|
Mix minced onion & garlic with oil fry
|
4. While onion mixture cooks add the tomato to the same food chopper or blender
and puree.
and puree.
In a chopper add tomatoes
|
Puree tomatoes
|
5. Once the onion water evaporated turn the heat down to medium and let the
onions fry for 8 to 10 minutes, frequently stir the onions.
6. Once the onions become light brown add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and mix with the fried onion and fry for few seconds.
onions fry for 8 to 10 minutes, frequently stir the onions.
6. Once the onions become light brown add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and mix with the fried onion and fry for few seconds.
Onion become light brown
|
Add Coriander powder, Red chili powder and Turmeric powder and fry
|
7. Add Tomato puree and yogurt and mix and keep string the onion masala
frequently.
frequently.
Mix spices with fried onion & fry
|
Add Tomato puree
|
Mix tomato puree well
|
Add yogurt
|
8. With the tomatoes and yogurt, onion masala become watery. Turn the heat
high for 2 to 3 minutes so that water evaporates quickly then turn the heat
down to medium.
9. In about 5 to 6 minutes tomato puree and onion will blend together.
10. Once all the water has evaporated you will see the oil in pan. That means the
onion masala is ready.
high for 2 to 3 minutes so that water evaporates quickly then turn the heat
down to medium.
9. In about 5 to 6 minutes tomato puree and onion will blend together.
10. Once all the water has evaporated you will see the oil in pan. That means the
onion masala is ready.
Mix Yogurt well
|
onion masala is ready
|
11. Add 3 cups of water and salt and mix with onion masala, cover the pan and
cook for 10 minutes.
cook for 10 minutes.
Add water
|
Add salt
|
Mix gravy well
|
Cover the pan & let the gravy cook
|
12. Once gravy is cooked add grated ginger, chopped green chilies and mix.
Gravy is cooked
|
Add ginger and green chilies & mix
|
13. Add garam masala in the gravy and mix and let it cook for few minutes.
14. Add ½ cup of milk and mix it well with the gravy and stir constantly for
1 minute so that milk blend in well with the gravy.
14. Add ½ cup of milk and mix it well with the gravy and stir constantly for
1 minute so that milk blend in well with the gravy.
Add garam masala & mix
|
Add Milk
|
15. Let the gravy cook for 8 to 10 minutes, while frequently stirring the gravy.
Milk binds the gravy with onion masala.
16. Once onions and milk blend in together and gravy taste right add ½ cup of
water and bring it to boil, because koftas will soak in lot of water.
Milk binds the gravy with onion masala.
16. Once onions and milk blend in together and gravy taste right add ½ cup of
water and bring it to boil, because koftas will soak in lot of water.
Mix milk well
|
Gravy is ready
|
17. Add fried lauki koftas in the gravy and mix.
Add water in the gravy
|
Add fried Lauki Kofta's
|
18. With the cooking spoon pour gravy over kofta’s. Coat all the koftas with
gravy and simmer for 2 minutes.
gravy and simmer for 2 minutes.
Pour gravy over kofta’s
|
Simmer kofta’s in gravy
|
19. Once koftas soaked in the gravy and gravy becomes thick add some water to
the desired consistency. Bring the gravy to boil, turn the heat off.
20. Pour gravy over kofta's. Koftas absorb water.
21. Sprinkle some of chopped coriander leaves and gently mix the leaves.
22. When ready to serve gently transfer the koftas in to serving bowl and
garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
the desired consistency. Bring the gravy to boil, turn the heat off.
20. Pour gravy over kofta's. Koftas absorb water.
21. Sprinkle some of chopped coriander leaves and gently mix the leaves.
22. When ready to serve gently transfer the koftas in to serving bowl and
garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Sprinkle coriander leaves
|
Lauki Kofta's are ready
|
Pour gravy over Kofta's
Lauki Kofta
Tips:
1. If the kofta dough is watery then add more gram flour as needed.
2. If you like then add crumble paneer in Kofta Dough.
3. If you are vegan or if you wish not to use yogurt or milk then you may take it
out from recipe, the dish will still taste delicious.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
1. If the kofta dough is watery then add more gram flour as needed.
2. If you like then add crumble paneer in Kofta Dough.
3. If you are vegan or if you wish not to use yogurt or milk then you may take it
out from recipe, the dish will still taste delicious.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipes:
Cabbage kofta (Bandh gobi) Lauki ki sabzi
Spinach kofta (palak kofta) Lauki ka halwa
Masoor dal kofta (lentils) Lauki ka raita
(Yogurt with lauki)
Paneer kofta Methi ka paratha
(Paratha with fenugreek leaves)
