BOTTLE GOURD KOFTA / LAUKI KOFTA

Lauki is commonly known as churakka in kerala and kathirikka in kannada and surakai in Tamil .Other names are Calabash gourd, Doodhi, Giya,,etc.Its good for weight loss, hair, skin, digestion.As its rich in water content, have a cooling effect ,so good for summer seasons.We can substitute cucumber ( kumbalanga) with this in kerala recipe.Its rich of soluble and insoluble fibres so helps in digestion too....I made kofta with this ..here the recipe..

 

Ingredients:

For making kofta

1. Bottle Gourd ( grated ) : 1 cup
2. Besan / kadala mavu : 1 tblsp
3. Red chilli pwd : 1/2 tsp
4. Salt : to taste

For making gravy

1. Onion : 1 med
2. Tomatoes : 3 big
3. Ginger : a small piece
4. Garlic Pods : 4-5 nos
5. Green chillies : 3
6. Red chilli pwd : 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander pwd : 1 1/2 tsp
8. Garam Masalas : 1 tsp
9. Salt : to taste
10. Coriander (chopped) : 1 tblsp
11. Water : abt 2 cups 
12. Cashewnut : 4 nos ( optional )

Method:

• Wash and peel the skin of  lauki..( i took 10 -12 cms of lauki ).Then grate the it. Its not so tough to grate ..
  

• Soon after u grate it, just squeeze it with ur hands (just like we do to take coconut milk from coconut..no need to add water as lauki is resource of water)

• Take the water from it in a bowl and keep it aside..this we can add with the gravy
• In the lauki ,  add the besan, red chilli pwd and salt and mix well..NEVER ADD WATER.

• Make balls of it.

• Heat oil in a kadai / unniappam chatti ..( I used unniappam chatti bcoz it consumes less oil and easy to fry it up)
• Add the ball to it and in medium heat fry it .
  

 

• If in unni appam chatti. when one side gets cooked, flip it to other side 

• Place these koftas into a tissue paper to remove excess oil
  

• Now we can make the gravy ....
• In a blender add diced onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, tomatoes, cashew and ground it into a smooth paste

 

• In a kadai, add little oil and when it heats up, add the grounded paste and saute it in medium flame

• When the paste reduces, and oil comes out of it, add the tumeric pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd ,garam masala and salt and saute for 2 minutes
  

 

 

• When the masalas gets sauted well ,add abt 2 cups of water and add the strained gourd water to it

  

• Let it boil in slow flame for 10 - 12 minutes
• Then add the koftas and chopped coriander leaves and switch off the stove.....

• Lauki Kofta is ready