Lauki ke kofta in tamatar gravy
Author: 
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 people
 
Crisp on the outside, soft delicious lauki ke kofte in a rich tamatar gravy
Ingredients
For Kofta:
  • 1 medium sized potato
  • ¼ Cup besan/kadale hittu/gram flour
  • 300 Gm lauki/bottlegourd/sorekayi
  • 1 chopped green chilli
  • 1 grated clove of garlic
  • ¼ Tsp baking powder
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ Tsp red chilli powder
  • ½ Tsp amchur powder
  • ¼ tsp garam masala powder
  • Oil to roast kofta
For Gravy:
  • 1 sliced big onion
  • 1 diced tomatoes
  • 1 chopped green chilli
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • ½" chopped ginger
  • 1" broken cinnamon piece/dalchini
  • 2 cloves/laung
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • ¼ Tsp red chilli powder
  • ½ Tsp turmeric/haldi
  • ¼ Tsp amchur powder
  • ½ Tsp garam masala powder
  • ½ Tsp dhania powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Tsp kasuri methi
  • ½ Tbsp butter
  • Chopped coriander for garnishing
Method
  1. Dry roast besan in a pan till it turns fragrant. It should not change colour
  2. Boil the potato till soft. Peel the potato, add into a bowl. Using a masher or fork mash them completely
  3. Peel and grate lauki. Squeeze out most of the water from the grated lauki. (Do NOT discard this water, this is needed to adjust consistency of gravy later on)
  4. To the mashed potatoes, add chopped green chilli, grated garlic and salt, baking powder
  5. Add red chilli powder, amchur powder, garam masala
  6. Now add in the grated lauki which is squeezed off its water
  7. Combine all ingredients with your hands lightly
  8. Tip in the roasted besan and mix well
  9. Ensure all kofta ingredients are combined and can be shaped
  10. To make koftas heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a pan. Take a small ball pinched off from the kofta mixture
  11. Roll into a round and lightly flatten it. Make the rest of the koftas in the same way
  12. Shallow fry them on the pan till golden and crisp on the outside. Keep them warm on a paper towel
  13. Next to make gravy, add chopped onion, green chilli, ginger and garlic into a mixer grinder
  14. Add diced tomatoes. Grind into a smooth paste with some water
  15. Let's now make the gravy. Heat oil and add dalchini and laung
  16. Pour in the ground tomato mixture and saute
  17. When oil starts to separate out, add red chilli powder, haldi, garam masala and amchur powder. Mix well
  18. Add dhania powder and mix well till gravy combines with all masalas
  19. Next pour the squeezed out water from the grated lauki we saved earlier. Add some more water if necessary to adjust consistency
  20. Add salt and kasuri methi. Mix well
  21. Add butter and mix. Garnish with chopped coriander
  22. Gently put the warm kofta pieces into the gravy. Let them soak up a bit of the gravy. Turn off heat
  23. Serve hot with phulkas/rotis
Notes
Add chaat masala instead of amchur powder if you want

Kofte can also be roasted in oven at 180 DegC for 8-10 minutes. Sear them till golden on the pan before placing into the oven

Besan gives a nice flavour and helps bind the kofte

Butter makes the gravy extra creamy and thick when it is added towards the end
Recipe by Food Of Interest at https://foodofinterest.com/lauki-ke-kofta-tamatar-gravy/