Lauki, also known as Bottle Gourd in English or Dhoodi in Hindi, is a vegetable which I used in this gravy and I have never dealt with this particular vegetable anywhere, any time in my life. Also we don't get this vegetable so easily in the place where we stay right now. I came to know recently that this particular vegetable contains a lot of health advantages. The most attractive health advantage was, it helps in weight loss. So, why shouldn't I spend some money on this.
One fine day, when we went to Indian store, I got to see this vegetable and grabbed one immediately. And then, I wanted to make something special, something healthy, yet delicious. I googled and googled and googled.....and googled. Saw so many recipes. And as you know, I don't follow any recipe to the 't' , even my own recipe the next time. So, this recipe I got from many websites, combined everything and finally got this amazing mouthwatering result!! I myself was amazed by the colour. May be my tomatoes had such effect. Anyways, the taste was decent. Not bad!! And so, with no guilt, I will share the recipe with you all.
Ingredients
- Lauki/ Bottle gourd - 4 cups, grated
- Rice flour/ Gram flour - 3/4 cup
- Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
- Chilli powder - 2 tsp
- Coriander powder - 2 tsp
- Cumin powder - 1 tsp
- Garam masala - 1 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Coriander leaves - few, finely chopped
For the gravy
To Grind- Onion - 2 nos, roughly chopped
- Tomato - 2 nos, roughly chopped
- Cashew - 5 nos
- Almonds - 5 nos
- Cinnamon - 1 small stick
- Cardamom - 1 no
- Ginger - 1/2 inch
- Garlic - 4 cloves
- Green chillies - 2 nos
- Red chillies - 2 nos
- Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
- Water - 2 cups
- Oil - 1 tsp
- Bay leaves - 1, broken
- Cloves - 2 nos
- Coriander powder - 2 tsp
- Cumin powder - 1 tsp
- Garam masala - 1 tsp
- Pav bhaji masala - 1 tsp
- Kasuri methi/ Dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tsp, crushed between your fists
- Low fat yoghurt - 1 tblspn
- Salt- to taste
- Sugar - 2 tsp
- Coriander leaves - a few to garnish
Method
For the koftas
For the koftas
- Squeeze out as much as water from the grated lauki. Preserve the water.
- Mix all the ingredients under "For the koftas" heading in the ingredients list. Make like a dough. Divide them in to 8 or 9 equal portion and make a small lime sized balls
- Grease your idli plates with some drops of oil. Place the koftas in the idli plate and stem them for about 15 minutes in a medium heat.
- Turn off the hit. Do not open the lid for another 10 minutes.
- Combine all the ingredients under "To grind" heading in the ingredients list in a vessel and bring it to heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let the cashews and almonds become little tender and let the onions and tomatoes get cooked properly.
- Turn off the heat. Allow it to cool. Grind in to smooth paste. Make sure there are no solid particles remaining after grinding.
- Heat oil in a pan. I used ceramic pan. So required just 1 tsp of oil. Crackle cumin seeds and add broken bay leaves and cloves. Let it release its aroma
- Add the ground onion-tomato paste, salt, sugar and some water. Cover and cook it for another 10-15 minutes in a medium heat. Beware, it will splutter. Keep mixing every 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, take the water squeezed out from the lauki, add coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and pav bhaji masala. Mix well and keep it aside. Let it sit like that for 15 minutes.
- Now add this masala mixture in to the gravy along with kasuri methi. Add the streamed kofta balls.
- Again, cover the lid and cook it for 5 minutes. Add whisked yoghurt and turn off the heat. Mix until everything is combined. Sprinkle some coriander leaves. Close the lid again and let it sit for another 10 minutes. Let koftas absorb the flavors.
- After 10 minutes, transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with any indian flat breads or with any mild pulaos.
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