Lauki or Bottle Gourd is a very nutritious vegetable which is widely used as a medicinal herb as well. Though its health benefits are very well known to everyone, it is also a vegetable despised by many. It is often referred to as boring, bland or food for the sick by kids and adults alike. But there are some delicious dishes which one can make using Lauki to get one’s family to have this beneficial vegetable. Lauki Kofta is one such dish which is also a good menu item for parties or get-togethers.
Ingredients :
- Lauki (Bottle Gourd) – 250gms
- Besan – 2 tablespoons(heap)
- Tomato – 1 medium sized
- Onion – 1 medium sized
- Green chillies – 2 to 3
- Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
- Garam masala – 1/4 teaspoon
- Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- Red Chilly powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- Asafoetida(hing) – 1 pinch
- Cumin seeds (Jeera) – 1/4 teaspoon
- Oil for frying
- Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves – few pieces chopped
Servings: 3-4 persons
Preparation Time: 15-20 mins
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Method
Kofta:
Peel off the skin of lauki and grate it. Add besan and salt to the grated lauki. Mix well with hands without adding water as water in lauki is sufficient.
Make round bite-sized balls from the above mix gently.
Heat oil in a frying pan for deep frying. Once oil is hot, add the besan-lauki balls slowly one by one with hands to make koftas. Fry till color of koftas become brown. Remove the koftas from oil and keep aside on a tissue paper so that the excess oil is absorbed.
Gravy:
Cut the tomato and onion in small pieces. Make a paste of green chillies and ginger.
Heat one teaspoon of oil in pan. Add hing and jeera. When jeera splutters, add onions and chill-ginger paste. Keep stirring from time to time.
When onions turn brown, add tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes become soft. Once tomatoes are soft, add all masalas except garam masala.
Add two cups of water and bring it to boil. Mix well. Add koftas to the gravy gently and switch off the heat after 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle garam masala on Lauki Kofta now. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot Lauki Kofta with rice or rotis.