Lauki or Bottle gourd – ½ of a medium sized lauki
Onion – 2
Ginger – 1 tsp (grated)
Green chillies – 2 or as per your taste
Garlic – 3 to 4 pods
Tomato - 1
Kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves – 1 tsp
Besan or roasted chickpea powder – as required
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Red chilli powder – as per your taste
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds – a pinch for tempering
Salt – as per taste
Oil – 3 to 4 tbsp
1. Peel the bottle gourd and grate it finely. Chop one onion and green chillies finely. Add the chopped onion and chillies to the grated bottle gourd.
2. Now add ½ tsp grated ginger, ½ tsp of methi leaves and required amount of besan to the gourd mix to form soft balls and shallow fry them in a non stick pan till they turn golden brown from both sides.
3. Drain them in a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
4. Now grind the remaining, onion, ginger, garlic and tomato to a fine paste.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start crackling, add the onion tomato paste and saute till it dries up little bit.
6. Now add the rest of the spice powder, turmeric, red chilli powder and cumin powder. Add salt to this mix and saute till the oil starts to separate.
7. Add sufficient water to this mix to make gravy and let it simmer for 2 to 3 mins. Add the remaining fenugreek leaves and cover it for a few minutes.
8. Take the gravy off heat and pour it over the koftas.
Serve hot with rice.