Shahi Lauki Kofta curry, in which deep-fried koftas (round shaped deep fried spicy dumplings) made of grated bottle gourd, gram flour, ginger-garlic paste and dry fruits, are cooked in spicy gravy of tomato and almond paste. The Malai, not only enhance the taste but also even give a rich texture and flavor to the gravy. Serve Shahi Lauki Kofta with roti, chappati, rice, or paratha.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Lauki (Bottle Gourd) – Half Kilo.  Take a Thin one. Donot take too fat one, as it will have too many seeds inside.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Garam Masala powder – 1 tsp.
  • Haldi (Turmeric) powder – Half tsp.
  • Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves) powder – 1 tsp.
  • Jeera (Cumin seeds) powder – One and half tsp.
  • Lal Mirchi (Red Chili) powder – 2 tsp.
  • Dhaniya (Coriander) powder – 2 tsp.
  • Besan (Bengal Gram flour) – 4 tbs.
  • Choti Elaichi (Green Cardamom) powder – 3/4th tsp.
  • Anjeer (Figs) – Five pieces.  Coarsely chopped.
  • Kaju (Cashew nuts) – 12 pieces. Coarsely chopped.
  • Kismis (Raisins) – 15 pieces. Coarsely chopped.
  • Baadam (Almonds) – 25 pieces.  Soak it for one hour.  Remove skin.  Grind it in to a thin paste by adding water.
  • Cooking Oil – Sufficient enough for deep-frying.
  • Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 4 tbs.
  • Dahi (Yoghurt) – 2 cups. Whisked.
  • Malai (Fresh Cream) – Half cup.
  • Pyaz (Onion) – 3 medium size.  Grind it into fine paste.
  • Chakri Phool (Star Anise) – One piece.
  • Dal Chini (Cinnamon Stick) – One inch.
  • Lawang (Cloves) – 6 pieces.
  • Tej Patta (Bay Leaves) – 2 small size.
  • Jeera (Cumin seeds) – 1 tsp.
  • Kali Miri (Black Pepper Corn) – 3/4th tsp.
  • Badi Elaichi (Black Cardamom) – One piece.
  • Choti Elaichi (Green Cardamom) – 6 pieces.
  • Hing (Asafoetida) powder – 1/4th tsp.
  • Hari Mirchi (Green Chili) – 2 medium size. Finely chopped.
  • Adrak Lassun (Ginger Garlic) paste – 2 tsp.  Taken in equal quantity.
  • Dhaniya (Fresh Coriander) leaves – Half cup.  Finely chopped.

Method:

  • Peel off the skin of Lauki.  Cut into half.  Grate it using the large size hole on the grater. 
  • Take a large mixing bowl or utensil.  Place a clean cotton or muslin cloth on it and spread it. 
  • Transfer all the grated Lauki on the cloth.  Add one tsp of salt and mix it well.  Keep it at least for 15 minutes to allow the water from Lauki to separate.
  • Squeeze out all the water from Lauki through the cotton cloth.  Keep this water aside, as it will be used in preparing the gravy.
  •  Keep the squeezed Lauki in another mixing bowl.  Add half tsp of garam masala powder, 1/4th tsp of haldi powder, 1/4th tsp of kasuri methi powder, half tsp of jeera powder, one tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of dhaniya powder, half tsp of salt and 3 tbs of besan powder to it.  Mix it well, prepare lemon size balls, and keep it aside.
  • Take a small mixing bowl or plate.  Add choti elaichi powder, chopped Anjeer, chopped kaju, chopped kismis, and mix them well.
  • Take a Lauki ball, place it on your palm, and gently press it from all side to make a round shape.  Place a pinch of chopped dry fruits in the middle, fold the Lauki from all sides, and roll it into a small ball.  Gently press it properly so that the filling does not come out while deep-frying.  Do this for all the remaining Lauki balls.
  • Take deep kadai and sufficient oil to it.  Heat it up on medium flame.  Once the oil is hot carefully, place the filled Lauki Kofta balls in to the hot oil.  Do not stir it for a minute or so to prevent it from breaking.  After a minute roll it and fry it on medium flame until it becomes golden brown from all sides.  Remove it on a kitchen tissue paper.  Do this for all the remaining filled Lauki Kofta balls.
  • Preparing the Shahi Gravy.  Take a large kadai or deep utensil.  Add 4 tbs of cooking oil and 4 tbs of ghee.  Heat it up.
  • Once the ghee is hot, add star anise, dal chini, lawang, kali miri, badi elaichi, tej patta, jeera, choti elaichi and allow them to crackle.
  • Add onion paste and mix it well. Add hing powder and finely chopped green chili.  Mix it again.
  • Once the onion is fried half through, add ginger garlic paste and mix it properly.  Fry these ingredients until the onion become light golden brown. 
  • Add one and half tsp of dhaniya powder, one and half tsp of red chili powder, 1/4th tsp of haldi powder, one tsp of jeera powder, half tsp of garam masala powder in to the kadai and mix them properly.  Add very little water to prevent the masala powder from burning.  Mix it well and fry it until you see oil released on the surface.
  • Add whisked dahi in to the kadai.  Mix it well and fry the dahi on high flame until it reduces and moisture is almost gone.  Fry until you see oil released on the surface.
  • Add Lauki water (separated after grating Lauki) in to the kadai and mix it well.  Let it come to a boil.
  • Add Baadam paste in to the kadai and let it boil for couple of minutes.
  • Reduce the flame to low.  Add deep fried Lauki Kofta gently and carefully in to the hot gravy.  Add salt to taste.  Remember we had added salt earlier in Kofta.  Add remaining kasuri methi powder, half tsp of garam masala powder, fresh cream in to the kadai.  Very gently mix it a bit.  Cover it with a lid and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes on low flame.
  • Turn off the flame.  Add chopped dhaniya leaves and mix it well.  Cover it with a lid for another five minutes before you serve.
  • Shahi Lauki Kofta is ready to be served.  Garnish it with some cream, kasuri methi and dhaniya leaves.  Serve hot along with roti, chappati paratha or jeera rice.
  • Happy Eating.