Lauki Ke Kofte | Squash Kofta Curry
By
Sandhya Khattri
May 27, 2013
Lauki or Squash kofta curry is a summer vegetable, fried squash dumplings are simmer in onion, garlic and tomato gravy, binding of gram flour and aroma of mint leaves powder gives this curry a distinct flavor, in this curry instead of boiled lauki I have used raw lauki ka lachha, koftas are further steamed for proper cooking . Ingredients required and detailed instructions for the recipe are as follows:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves:
4
Ingredients
For Kofta:
Peel and grated lauki- 2 cups(350 gms approx)
Dry mint leaves powder – 1 table spoon
Salt –to taste
Besan or Bengal gram flour-3 tablespoon
Red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
Green chillies-2
Oil- for deep frying
For gravy:
Onions-2
Tomatoes-4-5
Garlic-8-10 pods crushed
Oil 1 & ½ tablespoon
Salt-to taste
Red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder-1 tablespoon
Garam Masala powder-1/4 teaspoon
Instructions: Squeeze grated lauki in between your palms and preserve the juice in small katori( this will be added in gravy).
Take lauki in a bowl, add chopped green chillies, mint powder, red chilli powder mix well don’t add water to it. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai or pan, mix salt to the lauki and quickly take a small ball of mixture form a shape of kofta, fry it in hot oil, do the same with rest of the mixture. First fry them on high flame as they start changing color , adjust the flame from medium to low.
Peel garlic and crush them, roughly chop onions and tomatoes, in a grinding jar first place onions and grind them for few seconds don’t make puree of it.(need not to add water), remove and place tomatoes in the same jar and grind tomatoes till puree.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on any other utensils, I am using Sipri. , add onions to oil, roast onion till golden in color stirring continuously, add red chilli powder, immediately add lauki juice taken after squeezing lauki, add tomato puree to it, add all the other spices except garam masala powder, roast till oil separates, add 1 and 1/2 cup of water to it and bring it to boil, as it starts boiling simmer the flame, put steel strainer on it and place fried koftas over it, cover them with lid, this way we are steaming koftas ( as we have not boiled lauki this step is essential).
After 7-8 minutes check the consistency of gravy. If gravy is ready switch off the flame.
Just before serving, boil gravy add koftas in it, boil for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle garam masala powder over it . Serve kofta curry with phulka or rice.
Notes: Un boiled lauki lachha in kofta gives a firm bite to it.If you want soft koftas, place lauki ka lachha in a microsafe bowl, micro high for 3 minutes with lid covered you will get boiled and cooked lauki.
Before frying kofta you can also microwave them for 1 minute on high, take a micro safe dish grease it with few drops of oil and place koftas over it, give them standing time for 2 minutes , after this they are slightly cooked and become firm, hence easily fried with less oil, with this method you can make cylindrical shaped koftas too .
You can also add fresh chopped mint leaves in koftas.
