Lauki ke Kofte (Bottle Gourd Fritters in Tomato Gravy)

Summer is finally here and has brought a new set of veggies and fruits to deal with. With all the kaddus, tinde, bhindi, tori and lauki (pumpkins, gourds and okra) around, we don’t have a lot of choices. Which is why I love to innovate and keep it interesting. Making new varieties of veggies from the given set is how we do it.

Taking the humble lauki (bottle gourd) for instance. I love making dry sabzi (veg), tari wali sabzi, raita and koftas out of it. Lauki Koftas (Bottle gourd fritters) is one of my favourites. Since they are deep-fried, it makes them unhealthy, which is why I always avoided making them regularly. Now, I have started making the koftas in an appa pan which allows me to make them with very little oil. This makes them guilt-free and has made them a regular at my house.

Sharing my recipe with you, hope you like it as much as I do.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20-25 minutes
SERVINGS: 5-6
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Medium

INGREDIENTS:

For the koftas-

1. Bottle gourd/lauki – 1 cup, grated
2. Chickpea flour/besan – 5-6 tablespoons
3. Corriander/Dhaniya – finely chopped
4. Red chilli/lal mirch powder – 1 teaspoon
5. Carom seeds/ajwaein – 1 teaspoon
6. Fennel seeds/saunf – 1 teaspoon
7. Dried raisins/cranberries – a few
8. Vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons
9. Salt – to taste

For the gravy –

10. Onion – 1 large
11. Tomatoes – 6-7
12. Corriander/dhaniya powder – 1 tablespoon
13. Cumin seeds/zeera – 1 teaspoon
14. Red chilli/lal mirch powder – 1 teaspoon
15. Dried fenugreek/kasoori methia – 1 teaspoon
16. Vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon
17. Salt – to taste
18. Hot water – 2 cups

UTENSILS/EQUIPMENT:

1. Appa pan
2. Ladle
3. Kadhai/wok
4. Grinder
5. Bowl

RECIPE:

For the Lauki Koftas –

1. Peel the bottle gourd and grate it in a bowl.
2. Add in the besan/chickpea flour, fennel and carom seeds, salt and coriander leaves. Mix well and form a soft dough-y batter.
3. Take an appa pan and place it on a low flame.
4. Add in a little oil in all the pans and add in a spoon full of kofta batter in all small moulds.
5. Take a dried raisin/cranberry and place it in between all the koftas quickly.

6. Allow them to cook on one side for 3-4 minutes and then flip them. Cook them on the other side as well.
7. Repeat the step until the batter is finished.

For the gravy –

8. In a kadhai, take a little oil and add in the cumin seeds till they start to crackle.
9. Finely chop the onions and add them in the kadhai. Allow them to cook on low heat till they turn brown and cook properly. This might take 3-4 minutes.
10. Take all the tomatoes in a grinder and turn into a smooth paste.
11. Add in the tomato puree once the onions are cooked and mix well.

Onion_Tomato_gravy — Onion – Tomato gravy

12. Keep stirring on medium heat for 5 minutes or so till the tomatoes are properly cooked and leave the oil.
13. Add in the red chilli and coriander powder and salt.
14. Add in the boiling water and mix well and boil this for 2-3 minutes.
15. Add in the koftas, kasoori methi and let them simmer for 3-4 minutes.
16. Turn off the heat.

Serve the hot Lauki ke kofte with rotis.