Lauki Kofta Curry (healthy dumplings curry + Video)

Lauki kofta curry – grated bottle gourd, gram flour, and spices are shaped into patties, pan-fried and served with a rich, creamy and delicious onion tomato curry sauce. This is a vegan and gluten-free recipe.

Healthy lauki kofta curry

Here I have a healthy version of lauki kofta curry. With this simple recipe, cooking becomes not only less tedious but healthier as well, as koftas are pan-fried in less oil than deep-frying. This recipe is a perfect choice for regular dinner as well as to make ahead for parties and on special occasions.

Bottle gourd is rich in dietary fiber. Along with Cashews, almonds and melon seeds adds to the consistency of the curry sauce and enhances the flavour as well. Star anise lends subtle sweet and aromatic licorice-like flavour to the curry. Health benefits from bottle gourd, rich aroma and subtle flavours from spices, creamy and silky texture from cashews, almonds and melon seeds make this recipe healthy and delicious dish to indulge anytime guilt-free.

Lauki kofta curry recipe variations

This recipe is customisable to suit your taste preference. For instance, you could ignore almonds, cashew and use just melon seeds, if you are looking for a cheap meal option. Add some boiled and mashed potatoes in koftas for added taste and texture.

Check out quick and healthy weeknight dinner recipes 

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Bhindi do Pyaza

Vegetable Kothu Parotta

Ingredients

1 cup =250ml ; 1 tbsp =15ml

For Koftas / Dumplings

Bottle Gourd: 1 cup, peeled and grated

Green Chilli: 2, finely chopped

Ginger: 1/2 tsp, finely chopped

Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp

Gram Flour: 1/4 cup

Coriander: 1 tbsp

Salt: as required

Oil: 2 tbsp

For Gravy / Curry Sauce

Oil: 3 tbsp

Onion: 2 medium, chopped

Tomato: 1 big, chopped

Ginger: 2 inches, peeled and chopped

Garlic: 2-3 cloves

Cashew nuts: 1/4 cup

Almonds: 1 tbsp

Melon Seeds: 1 tbsp (optional)

Bay Leaf: 1

Cassia/dalchini: 1 inch

Cardamom: 3

Cloves: 4

Star Anise: 1

Chilli Powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder: 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder: 1/2 tsp

Salt: as required

Coriander: handful

Instructions

For Kofta /Dumplings

Firstly, line a wide bowl with cheesecloth, add grated bottle gourd, wrap the cheesecloth around itself and squeeze as much moisture as possible and save it to use later in curry sauce.

In a wide bowl, add squeezed bottle gourd, green chilies, coriander, garam masala, gram flour, salt, and mix until well combined.

Take a lime sized ball from the mixture and press gently in your palm to make medium-thick patties.

Heat oil in a shallow pan, fry the patties on medium heat flipping once or twice for even browning.

Remove them from pan and drain over a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

To prepare gravy/curry sauce

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add onions, stir and fry for 2 -3 minutes or until soft and translucent.

Now add garlic followed by ginger, cashews, almonds, melon seeds, cassia, cardamom, cloves, star aniseed, bay leaf, sauté for a minute.

Add chopped tomatoes, sauté it and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature and blend it to a smooth paste.

In the same saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium flame.

Add the blended onion tomato sauce, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, cumin powder, and salt.

Stir well so that all the spices blend well with the sauce.

Now cut the heat to the lowest setting, add 2 cups water, moisture squeezed out from bottle gourd, stir, put the lid on and simmer for 10 -15 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency.

Drop fried dumplings/ koftas gently one by one into the curry sauce.

Adjust the koftas in curry sauce so that they are almost submerged.

Simmer for a couple of minutes and turn off the heat.

Serve healthy and creamy lauki kofta curry with roti, chapathi or rice.

Watch how to make lauki kofta curry

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Tips to make perfect lauki kofta curry

Gram flour acts as a binding agent for the dumplings. Add just enough to bind the ingredients.

Adjust spices as per your preferred taste.

Melon seeds are used to get good consistency in the lauki kofta curry and nice texture as well.

Do not forget to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from bottle gourd, else you cannot make dumplings.

The above measurement yields 11 dumplings.

Check out some interesting curry recipes here:

Green Peas Masala with Coconut

Paneer Makhani

Vegetable Chettinad

Paneer Jalfrezi 

Baby Corn Masala

Lauki Kofta Curry | Bottle gourd dumpling curry

Lauki kofta curry - Grated bottle gourd, gram flour and spices are shaped into a patties, pan-fried and served with a rich creamy and delicious onion tomato curry sauce.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

1 cup = 250ml ; 1 tbsp = 15ml

Gluten Free, Vegan

For Koftas / Dumplings

• 1 cup Bottle Gourd peeled and shredded
• 2 Green Chillies finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Ginger finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/4 cup Gram Flour
• 1 tbsp Coriander chopped
• Salt as required

For Gravy / Curry Sauce

• 3 tbsp Oil
• 2 medium size Onion chopped
• 1 large Tomato chopped
• 2 inch Ginger peeled and chopped
• 2-3 cloves Garlic
• 1/4 cup Cashews
• 1 tbsp Almonds
• 1 tbsp Melon Seeds
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 inch Cassia / Dalchini
• 3 Cardamom
• 4 Cloves
• 1 Star Anise
• 1 tsp Chilli Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
• Salt as required
• Handful Coriander chopped

Instructions

 

For Kofta /Dumpling

• Firstly, line a wide bowl with cheese cloth, add grated bottle gourd, wrap the cheesecloth around itself and squeeze as much moisture as possible and save it to use later in curry sauce.
  
• In a wide bowl, add squeezed bottle gourd, green chillies, coriander, garam masala, gram flour, salt and mix until well combined.
• Take a lime size ball from the mixture and press gently in your palm to make a medium thick patties.
• Heat oil in a pan, fry the patties on medium heat flipping once or twice for even browning.
• Remove them from pan and drain over kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

To prepare gravy/curry sauce

• In a saucepan heat 2 tbsp oil over medium high.
  
• When hot, add onions, stir and fry for 2 -3 minutes or until soft and translucent.
• Now add garlic, ginger, cashews, almonds, melon seeds, cassia, cardamom, cloves, star aniseed, bay leaf, sauté for a minute.
• Then add chopped tomatoes, sauté it and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
• Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature and blend it to a smooth sauce.
• In the same sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium flame.
• Add the blended onion tomato sauce, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, cumin powder and salt.
• Stir well so that all the spices blends well with the sauce.
• Now cut the heat to lowest setting, add 2 cups water, moisture squeezed out from bottle gourd, stir, put the lid on and simmer for 10 -15 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency.
• Drop fried dumplings gently one by one into the curry sauce.
• Adjust the dumplings in curry sauce so that they are almost submerged, simmer for couple of minutes and turn off the heat.
• Serve healthy and creamy kofta curry with roti, chapathi or rice.

Video

Notes

Notes:

Gram flour acts as binding agent for the dumplings. Add just enough to bind the ingredients.

Adjust spices as per your preferred taste.

Melon seeds are used to get the good consistency to the sauce and nice texture as well. You may skip it.

Do not forget to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from bottle gourd, else you cannot make dumplings.

The above measurement yields 11 dumplings.

Keyword bottle gourd recipes, dumplings recipe, kofta curry, lauki kofta curry

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