LAUKI KOFTA (BOTTLE GOURD) CURRY

A creative twist to a simple humble vegetable, Lauki (Bottle Gourd). This is the first time, I have made this curry and it sounds just 'Wow'..I have dedicate this dish to my lovely Bua (Paternal Aunty). My Bua' is a good cook. When I had my last visit to Bua's place, she made this Kofta curry and it was awesome.The fabulous taste is still in my mind. I called Bua n asked about the recipe. Then I made this curry and wanted to share with you all..Here it goes......

Ingredients :-

For Koftas :-

1 cup Lauki (Peel and grate the lauki)

2 tsp Besan (Gram flour)                                                        

2 tsp Corn Flour

1/4 tsp Haldi Powder

1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Ajwain (Carom seed)

1 tsp Chopped Green chillies

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

For the Gravy :-

2 chopped Onions

2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste

1 chopped Tomato

1 tsp Curry powder

1/2 tsp Haldi (Turmeric) powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

Cinnamon (Dalchini) -1 piece

Cardamom (Aleicha) - 1 no.

Clove (Labang) - 1 no.

A Bay leaf

1/2 tsp Kasoori methi

2 tsp Cashew (Kaju) paste

1/2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

Method :-

For the Koftas :-- Wash, peel the skin and grate the lauki. Sprinkle a little pinch of salt over the grated lauki and keep aside for 20 minutes to remove excess water. Squeeze out as much water as you can from them, so that your koftas won't be a soggy mesh. Mix all the above ingredients of Koftas except oil to for a dough. Make small oval shape balls and deep fry it till golden brown in colour. Set aside.

For the Gravy:- In a wide pan, heat some oil, add sugar. when it turns brown add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves. Add the chopped onion and fry for few minutes. Then add ginger-garlic paste and saute a while. Add cashew paste to it and stir well. Then add chopped tomatoes, haldi powder and salt. Fry for 5 minutes until the oil leaves the sides of the pan. Now add the curry powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi, garam masala and stir again for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to it and let it boil on simmer. Then add the koftas and again boil it for few minutes, so that the curry gets mixed with the koftas. Remove from fire and serve with Roti or rice..