Kofta dishes are one of those dishes which are a whole meal on their own. They are like starters but the gravy in which they float in, is a tasty side dish for rotis or rice. Lauki ke kofta is delicious crisp on the outside and soft and flavourful on the inside.
Kofta are very similar to cutlets/dumplings. These are added to an aromatic gravy. The kofte absorb the flavours from the gravy and become moist and soft. This gravy tastes best with rotis/phulkas. If you are among those who do not like lauki then this flavourful rich gravy will surely transform you 🙂
If you like, you can also deep fry the kofte in hot oil till they turn golden. Make sure to coat them well before frying. Try more gravy type of dishes from FOI.
Lauki ke kofta in tamatar gravy
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Crisp on the outside, soft delicious lauki ke kofte in a rich tamatar gravy
Author: Vindhya Desai
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4 people
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
- Dry roast besan in a pan till it turns fragrant. It should not change colour
- Boil the potato till soft. Peel the potato, add into a bowl. Using a masher or fork mash them completely
- 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)
- To the mashed potatoes, add chopped green chilli, grated garlic and salt, baking powder
- Add red chilli powder, amchur powder, garam masala
- Now add in the grated lauki which is squeezed off its water
- Combine all ingredients with your hands lightly
- Tip in the roasted besan and mix well
- Ensure all kofta ingredients are combined and can be shaped
- To make koftas heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a pan. Take a small ball pinched off from the kofta mixture
- Roll into a round and lightly flatten it. Make the rest of the koftas in the same way
- Shallow fry them on the pan till golden and crisp on the outside. Keep them warm on a paper towel
- Next to make gravy, add chopped onion, green chilli, ginger and garlic into a mixer grinder
- Add diced tomatoes. Grind into a smooth paste with some water
- Let's now make the gravy. Heat oil and add dalchini and laung
- Pour in the ground tomato mixture and saute
- When oil starts to separate out, add red chilli powder, haldi, garam masala and amchur powder. Mix well
- Add dhania powder and mix well till gravy combines with all masalas
- Next pour the squeezed out water from the grated lauki we saved earlier. Add some more water if necessary to adjust consistency
- Add salt and kasuri methi. Mix well
- Add butter and mix. Garnish with chopped coriander
- Gently put the warm kofta pieces into the gravy. Let them soak up a bit of the gravy. Turn off heat
- 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
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
Try tamatar kaju paneer gravy and rajma masala
Stepwise:
Dry roast besan in a pan till it turns fragrant. It should not change colour
Boil the potato till soft. Peel the potato, add into a bowl. Using a masher or fork mash them completely
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)
To the mashed potatoes, add chopped green chilli, grated garlic and salt, baking powder
Add red chilli powder, amchur powder, garam masala
Now add in the grated lauki which is squeezed off its water
Combine all ingredients with your hands lightly
Tip in the roasted besan and mix well
Ensure all kofta ingredients are combined and can be shaped
To make koftas heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a pan. Take a small ball pinched off from the kofta mixture
Roll into a round and lightly flatten it. Make the rest of the koftas in the same way
Shallow fry them on the pan till golden and crisp on the outside. Keep them warm on a paper towel
Next to make gravy, add chopped onion, green chilli, ginger and garlic into a mixer grinder
Add diced tomatoes. Grind into a smooth paste with some water
Let's now make the gravy. Heat oil and add dalchini and laung
Pour in the ground tomato mixture and saute
When oil starts to separate out, add red chilli powder, haldi, garam masala and amchur powder. Mix well
Add dhania powder and mix well till gravy combines with all masalas
Next pour the squeezed out water from the grated lauki we saved earlier. Add some more water if necessary to adjust consistency
Add salt and kasuri methi. Mix well
Add butter and mix. Garnish with chopped coriander
Gently put the warm kofta pieces into the gravy. Let them soak up a bit of the gravy. Turn off heat
Serve hot with phulkas/rotis
