Enjoy the flavourful koftas with this easy non-fried recipe. (Source: ArchanasKitchen/Instagram)
Bottle gourd or lauki rarely makes it to people’s ‘favourite vegetable list’ owing its bland taste. Many even find it uninteresting. But lauki can be made in various delicious ways, and one preparation we are sure you will love is the non-fried curry. Archana Doshi from ArchanasKitchen fame recently shared this easy recipe that can be easily made at home.
Instead of deep frying, the are steamed, which makes them healthier. Take a look at her post below:
Ingredients
For koftas
1 – Bottle gourd (lauki) , peeled and grated
¼ cup – Gram flour (besan)
½ tsp – Red chilli powder
1 tsp – Coriander (dhania) powder
½ tsp – Turmeric powder (haldi)
½ tsp – Garam masala powder
Salt, to taste
Sunflower oil, for cooking
For the gravy
4 – Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch – Ginger, finely chopped
1 – Green chilli, split
1 – Onion, finely chopped
1 inch – Cinnamon stick, broken
1 – Bay leaf
2 – Cardamom (badi elaichi)
1 tbsp – Stone flower
8 – Tomatoes, cut into chunks and pureed
½ tsp – Turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp – Coriander powder (dhania)
1 tsp – Red chilli powder
½ tsp – Garam masala powder
1 tbsp – Honey
8 sprig – Coriander (dhania) leaves, chopped
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp – Ghee
Method
*Peel and grate the bottle gourd. Squeeze out the excess water from it and keep aside.
*Take a large mixing bowl and add the grated lauki, turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, garam masala, gram flour and salt to taste. Mix everything well. Now make 12-15 kofta balls using the mixture.
*Preheat a kuzhi paniyaram and drizzle some oil in each cavity. Then place the kofta balls in them and drizzle some more oil. Pan fry them until golden brown on both sides. You will have to flip the kofta balls so they fry on all sides evenly. Once done, keep aside.
*For kofta curry, put the cut tomatoes into a mixer grinder and make a puree. Keep aside.
*Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan; add ginger, garlic, green chilli, onion and saute until the onions soften. This will take 3-4 minutes.
*Once the onions have softened and turned lightly golden brown add the spices: cinnamon, bay leaves, badi elaichi and stone flour. Stir for a few seconds until you can smell the aromas coming through.
*Add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, honey and simmer the kofta gravy for about 5 minutes until the raw smell from the tomatoes goes away.
*Once done, taste the curry for seasoning.
*Transfer the lauki kofta curry to a serving bowl and add the pan fried koftas to it. Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.
Best served with palak dal, phulka and paneer pulav for a delicious meal along with lassi, mentioned Doshi.
Would you like to try this?