
Lauki ke Kofte
Makes 4 servings. Nutrition info provided for 1 serving.
Equipment
- Appam maker
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
For Koftas
- 500 grams grated lauki (bottle gourd)
- 3 cups water (for boiling)
- ¼ tsp amchur powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 green chilli - finely chopped
- 3 tbsp coriander leaves - finely chopped
- 3 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- ½ tsp salt (or as per taste)
- 1 tsp cooking oil of your choice
For Curry
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 piece cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 green cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 10 black pepper kernels
- 1⅓ cup chopped onions
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp ginger paste
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 finely chopped green chillies
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 cups water
Instructions
For Kofte
- Boil the grated bottle gourd in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes on high flame
- Once boiled, strain and squeeze out excess water
- Add the dry masalas to the boiled bottle gourd: amchur powder, garam masala, chopped green chillies, chopped coriander leaves, gram flour (besan), and salt
- Mix all these ingredients well
- Cook this mixture to dry out excess water
- Place a non-stick pan on high flame and add 1 tablespoon of water
- Once the water starts sizzling add the bottle gourd mixture
- Cook the mixture for 5 minutes till it dries
- Once the mixture has cooled, down kofta balls out of it - should make about 8 kofta balls
- Cook the koftas in the appam maker (also known as appe/appa maker). Can be bought at most Indian grocery stores and also on Amazon
- Place the appam maker on high flame
- Put 1 tsp oil ina bowl and then add a drop of oil in 8 sections of the appam maker and allow it to heat up
- Use a silicone brush to spread the oil
- Once the appam maker is hot lower the flame and place the koftas in each oiled sections
- You can use any remaining oil to brush the koftas
- Cover the appam maker
- Check every 2 mins to turn the koftas
- The koftas are cooked once they turn golden brown on the outside
- Turn off the flame and remove the koftas and place separately
For curry
- Add all the curry ingredients (except garam masala) to a pressure cooker: bay leaf, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, black pepper kernels, chopped onions, garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, chopped green chillies, tomato paste and 1 cup water
- Mix all ingredients well (no oil to be added)
- Close the pressure cooker and cook on high flame
- Turn off after 4 whistles
- After 4 whistles, open the cooker once it has cooled
- Put the flame on high
- Cook the masalas till they dry up
- Add salt and continue to dry mixture
- Once the masala mixture has dried up, add garam masala and mix well
- Add 2 cups of water and allow the curry to boil
- Once boiling, cook on low flame for 2 minutes then add all the koftas, turn off the flame and cover
- Allow the koftas to soak the curry for 10 minutes
- Once the koftas have softened, transfer to a serving dish
- Place the koftas first then pour curry on top and garnish with chopped coriander leaves
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