Name: Lauki Kofta
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250 g Bottle Gourd, lauki, grated and squeezed completely dry; 2 tbsp Gram Flour, besan, for binding koftas; 1½ Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped for kofta, slit for gravy; ½ tsp Ginger, grated, for koftas; ¼ tsp Carom Seeds, for koftas; 1 Onion, finely chopped or pureed; 1 Tomato, pureed; ½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric, divided; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, divided; ½ tsp Ground Coriander; ¼ tsp Garam Masala; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds; as needed Cooking Oil, for deep frying; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, for gravy; ¾ tsp Salt, divided; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

1 hr 10 mintotal

55 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 25 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

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Method

Make Koftas: In a bowl, combine the tightly squeezed grated lauki, besan, chopped green chilli, grated ginger, ajwain, a pinch of turmeric, red chilli powder, and salt. Do not introduce any external water.
Mix rapidly to form a soft, pliable dough. If overly wet from residual gourd liquid, add a little more besan. Roll into small, consistent round balls.
Heat deep-frying oil in a kadhai on medium heat. Fry the koftas until they form a golden brown, crispy exterior. Drain on paper towels.
Make Gravy: Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
Add finely chopped onions and sauté until achieving a deep golden brown.
Stir in ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies. Cook for 1 minute.
1 min
Add tomato puree, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Cook down for 8-10 minutes until the masala tightens and releases oil.
8–10 min
Pour in the reserved lauki water along with additional warm water. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil and simmer for 5 minutes to develop the gravy.
5 min
Submerge the fried koftas into the simmering gravy. Cover and let cook on low heat for exactly 2 minutes; prolonged boiling will cause the delicate koftas to disintegrate.
2 min
Remove from heat. Garnish with garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

Sponge-like, highly porous, savory dumplings that act as perfect vessels, soaking up the rich, spiced, and tangy tomato-onion reduction.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not salt the kofta mixture until the last seconds before frying. Salting early makes the lauki release its water, and the koftas fall apart.

What to serve it with

An elegant approach to making bottle gourd irresistible. Pair closely with hot Phulkas or aromatic Jeera Rice.

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Ingredients