Lauki ki Kofta

Lauki or bottle gourd is a very popular vegetable in India. Kofta is fried dumpling made with a variety of vegetables and cooked in a mild creamy sauce. It is a popular Mughal dish. Today I made kofta from bottle gourd and grated paneer. I cooked the koftas in appe pan instead of frying.  It is a favorite dish in my family. My son loves to eat it served over rice.

Ingredients for Kofta:
1 Lauki, peeled and grated
1/2 Cup grated paneer
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 green chili,chopped
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
salt to taste

Ingredients for sauce:
1 onion, chopped
1 large tomato
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 pod garlic, mined
1/2 inch cinamon
1 clove
1 cardamom
1 teaspoon cumin-coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon kashmiri mirchi powder
1/2 teaspoon dried mango powder(amchur)
1 teaspoon Kitchen King Masala
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. grated fresh koya
2 Tbsp. cream

Method:

1. Squeeze water from grated lauki. Mix with it grated paneer, chopped chili, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and flour. Make small balls out of the mixture.

2. Deep fry lauki balls in batches till golden brown. I cooked the koftas in appe pan. Keep aside.

3. Blanch onion and tomato. Cool, grind together to puree. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a saucepan. Add cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Add all spices and stir for a minute. Stir onion tomato puree. Add water as required. Cover and cook on low flame,stirring occasionally till raw smell leaves for 10 minutes.
4. Add grated koya and cream and cook for a few minutes. Gently add koftas to the sauce and cook for couple minutes. Add a teaspoon crushed kasuri methi.
5. Serve hot with Naan or rice.