Lauki Kofta Curry Recipe, How to make Lauki Kofta Curry

Lauki Kofta Curry Recipe with step by step photos and easy to follow instructions:

Lauki Kofta Curry is made of deep fried lauki kofta (dumplings) simmered in luscious onion and yogurt gravy. The soft and tender koftas are sometimes stuffed with Imli (Tamarind) paste to give the koftas a little tanginess or stuffed with nuts and raisins to add some richness to the dish.

What is a Lauki? Lauki is known by many different names such as Kaddu, Ghia, Bottle Gourd or Opo Squash is a healthy low-calorie vegetable with a high content of water.

Lauki is more commonly used for curry dishes but it is also used for making a side dish of Raita or for making desserts like Lauki ka Halwa. In curry dishes, Lauki is used as it is or in the form of kofta. It is also added to daals to enhance the flavor of daal.

Lauki is one of the common vegetables in northern India and it is often regarded low in the  vegetable class, but making koftas or halwa of Lauki earns it its dues.

How to make Lauki Kofta Curry:

1. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high, add ghee, olive oil, garlic paste, ginger paste, green chili paste, tomato puree and all the spices. Mix well; cover and cook until oil start to separate.
   
2. In a blender, grind together the Cooked Onion Purée and yogurt to finest paste possible. You want the curry to be very smooth. Add it to the masala in the saucepan. Mix well. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover and let it simmer for 10 -12 minutes.
   This is what it looks like after 10 minutes.
   
3. Add two cups of water and let it cook on the low heat again. In the meantime, prepare koftas.
4. In a small bowl, mix chopped pistachio nuts and raisins. Keep it aside.
   
5. In a food processor, finely chop Lauki or grate it with the fine side of the cheese grater.
6. Put the grated Lauki in a cheesecloth and squeeze out the moisture as much as possible. The Lauki should be almost dry. Don’t throw away the liquid. You can add it to the curry or use it to make chapati atta dough.
7. Add besan and all the spices to make a medium soft dough. If more liquid is required to form the dough, add it by the teaspoonful. Once the dough is ready, it has to be rolled into koftas right away. If the dough is left sitting for too long, the Lauki will continue to release moisture and the dough will become soft.
8. Take about a tablespoon of the dough and gently roll it between the palms of your hands. Make a small dent in the middle. Place about 1/4 tsp of the filling; close the dent and re-roll the kofta. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the rolled koftas on a tea towel or parchment paper dusted with some flour.
9. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat (if using a deep fryer, follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Gently add koftas into the hot oil one by one. Once all the koftas start to float on the surface of the oil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until koftas are golden brown. Remove koftas from the oil and drain it on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.
10. Add koftas to the curry and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Garnish and serve hot with Roti, Tandoori Roti or Naan.
    
    Lauki Kofta Curry

     

    

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    Prep time

    10

    Cook time

    25

    Total time

    35

     

    Soft lauki dumplings simmered in the luscious creamy sauce infused with fragrant spices and herbs.

    Author: Raj Brar

    Recipe type: Main - Vegetarian

    Cuisine: Indian

    Serves: 4-5 servings

    Ingredients

    Sauce

    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp garlic paste
    • 2 tsp ginger paste
    • ½ cup tomato puree
    • ½ tsp green chili paste
    • ½ tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 ½ tsp coriander powder
    • ¼ cumin powder
    • ¼ tsp red chili powder
    • 1 tsp salt or to taste
    • 1 cup cooked onion purée
    • ½ cup plain yogurt
    • 1 cup milk
    • 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

    Kofta:

    • 2 cups lauki, grated
    • ¾ cups besan
    • ¼ tsp salt or to taste
    • ¼ red chili powder
    • ½ tsp coriander powder
    • ¼ tsp cumin seeds
    • ¼ turmeric powder
    • Oil for frying
    • 1 tbsp pistachio nuts, chopped
    • 1 tbsp raisins, chopped

    Instructions

    For sauce:

    1. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high, add ghee, olive oil, garlic paste, ginger paste, green chili paste, tomato puree, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well; cover and cook until oil start to separate.
    2. In a blender, grind together the Cooked Onion Purée and yogurt to finest paste possible. Add it to the sauce and mix well. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover and let it simmer for 10 -12 minutes.
    3. Add two cups of water and let it cook on the low heat again. In the meantime, prepare koftas.

    For Kofta:

    1. In a small bowl, mix chopped pistachio nuts and raisins. Keep it aside.
    2. Peel and grate lauki. Squeeze out all the moisture out of grated lauki.
    3. In a small mixing bowl, add grated lauki, besan, salt, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Mix well to form a soft dough. If required, add more liquid by a teaspoonful.
    4. Take about a tablespoonful of the dough and roll it into a ball in the palms of your hand.
    5. Make a small dent in the center of the ball and fill in about ¼ tsp of pistachio nuts and raisins filling. Close the dent and re-roll the dough to form a round kofta. Repeat with the remaining dough.
    6. Keep the rolled koftas on a parchment paper or a tea towel dusted with flour.
    7. In a wok or a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Gently add the koftas into the hot oil.
    8. When all the koftas started to float on the surface, reduce the heat to medium and cook until golden brown.
    9. Remove the koftas from oil and drain it on a paper towel.
    10. Add it to the simmering curry sauce and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.
    11. Remove from the heat. Garnish and serve hot with Roti, Tandoori Roti or Naan.

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