Bottle gourd is a vegetable that many people, especially children, don't like to eat. But if you make 'bottle gourd koftas' (dumplings) with it, everyone will love the taste. Bottle gourd koftas are very popular in North India, and they are delicious and soft in texture. Let's learn the recipe for making soft and delicious bottle gourd koftas.

Ingredients
For the Koftas:
Bottle gourd - 500 grams (peeled and grated)
Gram flour (besan) - 1 cup (more or less as needed)
Green chilies - 2, finely chopped
Ginger - 1-inch piece (grated)
Spices - ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala.
Salt - to taste
Oil - for frying
For the Gravy:
Onions - 2 medium (made into a paste)
Tomatoes - 2-3 medium (made into a paste)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Yogurt - 2 tablespoons (whipped)
Whole spices - 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
Ground spices - 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala.
Fresh coriander leaves - finely chopped (for garnish)

Instructions
First, squeeze the grated bottle gourd with your hands to remove the excess water. Do not throw away this water; it can be used later in the gravy.
Now, mix the bottle gourd with gram flour, green chilies, ginger, and all the dry spices. Add salt only when you are ready to fry, otherwise, the bottle gourd will release more water. Make small balls and fry them in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown.

Now, heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Now add the onion paste and sauté until golden brown. Next, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

Then add the tomato paste and all the dry spices (turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder). Cook until the oil separates from the masala. After that, reduce the heat and add the whisked yogurt. Stir continuously while adding the yogurt to prevent it from curdling.

Now add the water extracted from the bottle gourd and more water as needed. Once the gravy comes to a boil, add salt and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
When the gravy thickens, add the prepared koftas and garam masala. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 minutes so that the koftas absorb the gravy. Finally, garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

PC Social Media