Lauki kofta curry is a simple and hearty Indian style vegan kofta curry. The vegetarian kofta prepared with bottle gourd is dunked in a spicy curry. This kofta recipe will completely change your mind about lauki (bottle gourd) and make you fall in love with it. Serve lauki ke kofte with steamed rice, chapati, raita and salad for a wholesome home-cooked meal.
Lauki Kofta is an excellent alternative for paneer kofta curry and can be made instead of the former as a summer special Indian main-course, for dinner parties or family get-togethers.
What is bottle gourd (dudhi)?
Bottle gourd or dudhi is a thick, fleshy vine that grows in tropical countries. It is readily available at any vegetable seller’s cart or in the supermarket. A sign of a healthy, young gourd is pale green, smooth skin that is quite firm and blemish-free.
How To Make Lauki Kofta Curry:
The gourd is first washed peeled to get rid of its green skin. It is mostly cut into cubes for curries (also read: dahiwali lauki recipe), but for making the lauki kofta, the flesh is grated. The leftover grated bottle gourd can be used to make mouthwatering Indian dessert – Lauki Kheer (do try it once, it’s irresistible).
After grating the bottle gourd, squeeze out the excess water carefully. Summer squash is rich in water and it’s necessary to get rid of this fluid for making the kofta.
Transfer the grated and squeezed lauki to a bowl. Add gram flour (chickpea flour) to this mix, salt to taste and spices before mixing it into a smooth dough and rolling out small roundels. Press the roundels slightly to flatten them into koftas.
Cooking the koftas (3 ways) – When it comes to cooking the lauki kofta, there are many methods, so you can use either one of these:
1)Oven Method: Grease a sheet pan with some oil and arrange the koftas on it neatly. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes at 180 degrees. Flip the kofta halfway through for even browning and cooking.
2)Appe Pan Method: An appe pan or paniyaram pan (buy it here) is easily available across India. It is a thick, heavy-bottomed dish with several small, round cavities. Brush pan with oil, and when heated, add a tablespoon of kofta batter in each greased cavity. Cook for 10-15 minutes on each side on a medium flame till the koftas are golden brown.
3)Airfryer Method: For a healthier version, use the Airfryer to fry the koftas. Pre-heat the air-fryer to 180 degrees Celsius. Arrange the koftas on the rack or grill of the airfryer. Let it cook for five minutes and then increase the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius. Turn the koftas occasionally and cook till they are evenly brown and crisp on the outside.
Tips To Make Perfect Lauki Kofta Curry:
Make sure to squeeze out all the liquid from grated bottle gourd before making kofta else they will not hold shape.
Always fry kofta over low-medium heat so that it is fully cooked from inside and perfectly brown from outside.
Allow the kofta to cool down a bit before adding in the gravy.
Add the kofta into the gravy and simmer the curry for next 5 – 10 minutes over low heat. The heat will help kofta to absorb the flavor of the curry and become even more delicious.
To make the curry richer and creamier, you can add a splash of cooking cream or milk.
Raita Recipes To Serve With Lauki Kofta:
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Lauki Kofta Curry
Ingredients
Ingredients For Kofta:
- 1 medium-size bottle gourd (lauki), peeled
- 1/4 Cup gram flour (besan)
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- Oil for deep-frying the kofta
Ingredients For Gravy:
- 1 large-size onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large-size tomato, pureed
- 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green chili, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala (see recipe here)
- 2 tablespoon fresh cream or cashew paste (optional)
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
Instructions
How To Make Kofta:
- To prepare the lauki kofta, peel and grate the bottle gourd. Squeeze the excess water from the grated bottle gourd. Mix the gram flour, salt, spices in the grated bottle gourd and combine well to form a thick batter for the koftas.
- Meanwhile heat oil in a deep-frying pan over medium heat. Take a small portion from the kofta mixture and shape into small size ball. Similarly, shape the remaining koftas, deep-fry until golden in color and crisp from outside. Drain in an absorbent paper and set aside while you prepare the curry.
How To Make Curry:
- To prepare the curry, heat oil in a kadhai or wok over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute over medium heat till light brown in color.
- Next add ginger-garlic paste and saute for next few minutes. Add a tablespoon of water if masala is sticking to the saucepan. Once masala turns light brown in color, add tomato puree, green chili and spices. Saute over medium heat till oil separates from the masala, this might take 10 – 15 minutes.
- At this stage, you can add cream. Mix it nicely and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add water to adjust the consistency of the curry. Season with salt and stir to combine. Let the curry simmer over medium heat for next few minutes or until it thickens little bit.
- Add crushed kasuri methi and stir to combine.
- Once you are ready to serve the curry, add the koftas to the curry and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes over low heat.
- Serve Lauki Kofta Curry warm along with chapati or steamed rice.
Recipe Notes:
- If you are making a vegan version, use cashew cream/paste to make the gravy rich and thick.
- Recommended Equipment: Paniyaram Pan (Buy It Here)
