Indian Bottle Gourd Kofta

Ingredients

• Lauki (Bottle Gourd)
• Chickpea Flour (Besan)
• Onion
• Tomato
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Green Chili
• Coriander
• Turmeric Powder
• Red Chili Powder
• Coriander Powder
• Cumin Powder
• Garam Masala
• Salt
• Cooking Oil
• Deep pots or Wok

Steps

1. ### Making the Kofta Balls
2. Peel the lauki and grate it finely using a box grater.
3. Squeeze out the water from the lauki shreds with your hands. *Squeeze as dry as possible*, otherwise the balls will not hold their shape when fried.
4. Add 80g chickpea flour, 3g salt, 3g red chili powder, and 3g coriander powder to the dried lauki shreds.
5. Mix thoroughly with your hands until a non-sticky dough-like consistency is reached.
6. Roll the mixture into small balls approximately 3cm in diameter. Set aside.
7. Pour 500ml cooking oil into a deep pot and heat it over medium heat until the oil temperature reaches about 170°C (a small piece of dough should float up quickly and bubble).
8. Fry the balls a few at a time for **4-5 minutes**, until the surface is *golden and crispy*.
9. Remove the fried balls and use kitchen paper towels to absorb excess oil. Set aside.
10. ### Making the Sauce
11. Pour 30ml cooking oil into a frying pan and heat for 10 seconds.
12. Add chopped onion and stir-fry until the *onion turns golden brown* (about 5-7 minutes).
13. Add ground ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute until the *aroma is released*.
14. Add chopped tomato and stir-fry until the *tomato becomes completely soft and splits oil* (about 5 minutes).
15. Add 3g turmeric powder, 5g red chili powder, 5g coriander powder, 3g cumin powder, and 5g salt.
16. Stir fry for 2 minutes to blend the spices with the tomato thoroughly.
17. Add 200ml water, stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and **simmer for 5 minutes**.
18. Gently place the fried kofta into the sauce, turn heat to low, and **simmer for 3-5 minutes** to let the balls absorb the sauce.
19. Sprinkle 3g garam masala and chopped green chili.
20. Turn off the heat, sprinkle with coriander leaves for garnish, and serve.