Bottle gourd Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

  • 1 Bottle gourd peeled (medium to large size)
  • 1 cup onion sliced
  • 1 cup tomato sliced
  • 3-4 garlic pods crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 2 tablespoon cashews
  • 3-4 table spoon Gram flour (besan)
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspooon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 3-4 green cardamom
  • 1 small cinnamon
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 cup of water
  • Salt to taste
  • Pinch of Kasuri Methi
  • 3 table spoon of oil for the curry plus oil for frying.

Method:

Kofta batter

  1. Peel the bottle gourd and grate it. Squeeze the grated bottle gourd and remove the water from it. Keep aside this water for the curry.
  2. Add salt, Gram flour, ajwain to the squeezed bottle gourd. Mix it properly. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add drop of grated mixture to the pan to check if oil is hot. If it sizzles, its ready for frying. Drop tablespoon sized balls of the mixture to the oil. Fry them turning once until the fritters are golden brown.
  3. Transfer the fritters on the paper.
  4. Heat 1½ table spoon of oil in a different pan. Add cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms to it. When they start sizzling, add sliced onion and garlic pods. Saute for a minute. Add cashews and grated ginger. Saute continiously to avoid burning of onions. Add chopped tomatoes into the mixture. Slowly add all the masala powders and the salt. Saute the mixture until it blends together properly. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down.
  5. Transfer the cooled mixture into a grinder and make a smooth paste. Add little water if needed.
  6. Heat 1½ table spoon of oil in the same pan and add the smooth paste to it.
  7. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the water you kept aside with additional one cup of water to the paste and stir it properly. Boil the mixture for 10-15 minutes.
  8. Before serving, add fritters to the curry. Sprinkle Kasuri methi on it. Serve immediately.