Lauki Kofta | Lauki ke Kofte
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4
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Calories
194 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Lauki Kofta | Lauki ke Kofte
Description
The recipe starts with peeling and grating the bottle gourd. After ensuring it’s not bitter, the grated lauki is squeezed dry and mixed with gram flour and spices to bind the mixture. Small balls are shaped and deep-fried in neutral oil until evenly golden. For the gravy, a paste of tomatoes, onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and cashews is made and cooked with an array of warming spices including cumin seeds, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala.
The koftas are added to this spiced gravy, where their mild flavors absorb the sauce's complexity. The pakora-like koftas maintain a delicate texture that complements the creamy, slightly spiced sauce. The dish offers a gentle balance of savory and mildly hot flavors with the softness of lauki melding with the thick masala.
This dish is often enjoyed as a main course served with rice or Indian breads. It requires attention to ensure the bottle gourd is not bitter and to avoid making the koftas too wet so they retain texture. Adding sugar to the gravy can balance acidity from the tomatoes if desired. The recipe notes advise against using very sour tomatoes and warn that making pakoras separately is best for texture retention when served.
Ingredients
For making lauki kofta
- 2 cups bottle gourd - grated (lauki, dudhi, ghia or opo squash, long melon, calabash)
- 4 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon green chili - finely chopped or 1 green chili
- salt as required
- neutral cooking oil as required, for deep or shallow frying the kofta, generic cooking oil
For making masala paste
- 2 tomato large-sized, roughly chopped
- 1 onion medium-sized, roughly chopped
- ½ to 1 teaspoon green chili chopped or 1 green chilli
- 1 teaspoon ginger - chopped or 1 inch peeled ginger
- 4 to 5 garlic small to medium-sized, roughly chopped, cloves
- 2 tablespoons cashews - broken or roughly chopped
Other ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ or ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ¼ or ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 cup water or add as required
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil if using fresh oil, generic cooking oil
- salt as required
- ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required, optional
Instructions
Making lauki kofta
- Rinse and peel the lauki (bottle gourd). Grate it. Measure and you should get 2 cups of grated lauki.Make sure to taste the bottle gourd before you peel and grate. It should not be bitter. If the lauki tastes bitter, trash it.
- Squeeze the grated lauki and collect the juice in a bowl or mug. Keep the juice aside.
- Mix all the ingredients, except oil, for making the koftas with the grated lauki.
- Make small round shaped balls or patties.
- Heat oil in a kadai or frying pan. Fry the lauki koftas in oil, till they are evenly golden browned from all sides.
- Drain the fried kofta on paper towels so that the extra oil is absorbed.
Making masala paste
- Blend all the ingredients mentioned under 'for making masala paste' without water to a smooth and fine paste.
- If needed add a bit of water, but don't add too much water as then the masala paste splutters while frying.
Making lauki kofta gravy
- Remove extra oil from the frying pan in which the koftas were fried. Keep about 2 tablespoons oil. Or you could opt to use 2 tablespoons of fresh oil.
- Heat the oil and fry the cumin seeds first on low heat until they splutter. Then, add the ground masala paste.
- Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low heat stirring often. Then add all the ground spice powders.
- Stir and continue to sauté the masala paste till it starts leaving oil from the sides. The masala will also thicken and look glossy.
- Add the lauki juice and about 1 cup water or as needed to the sautéed masala paste.
- Stir and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until the curry thickens a bit. Lastly, add the fried koftas.
- Switch off the heat and let the koftas be in the gravy for a few minutes.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Lauki Kofta hot with roti, naan or jeera rice.
Notes
- Check the bottle gourd's taste before using; discard if bitter to avoid compromising the dish.
- If using a pakora-style batter, add gram flour and serve koftas only with the gravy; avoid letting pakoras soak to preserve texture.
- Use mild tomatoes; overly sour ones can affect the gravy's taste.
- Add sugar to the gravy optionally to balance flavors as desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 194kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Sodium | 610mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 410mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 598IU | 12% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.04mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.2mg | |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Vitamin E | 5mg | |
| Vitamin K | 9µg | |
| Calcium | 58mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 45µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 70mg | 18% |
| Phosphorus | 94mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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