Lauki Kofta

4 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 1 medium lauki/bottle gourd (grated, around 1 & 1/2 to 2 cups grated lauki)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (divided)
• 5 tablespoons besan (gram flour, around 45 grams)
• 2 tablespoons rice flour (20 grams)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1-2 green chili (finely chopped, adjust to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon oil (divided, I used avocado oil)
• 1 medium red onion (roughly sliced)
• 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
• 2 medium tomatoes (roughly sliced)
• 1 green chili (roughly chopped, or use more for a spicier curry)
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (or double for spicier curry)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (crushed)
• cilantro (to garnish)

Method

1. Peel and grate a medium sized lauki (bottle gourd). You would have around 1 & 1/2 cups to 2 cups grated lauki. Add it to a large bowl and then add 1/4 teaspoon salt to it. Let it sit for 15 mins.
2. Then transfer the lauki to a muslin cloth, and squeeze as much water as possible from the lauki and transfer it to another bowl.
3. To that now, add besan, rice flour, chopped green chili, grated ginger and garam masala. Mix everything together using your hands.
4. Add little water as needed and bring it all together. This mixture will be loose and that's what you want. Divide mixture into 7 to 8 parts. The consistency will be like of onion pakora. We need this consistency so that it cooks well in the air fryer (especially from the inside).
5. Preheat your air fryer according to manufacturer's instructions. Arrange the koftas into the air fryer. Spray with oil and air fry at 350 F for around 20 minutes. Every air fryer is different so you may need 2 minutes less or 2 minutes more. Shake once at the halfway mark. The koftas are now done, set them aside. Let's make the curry now.
6. To a pan on medium heat, add 2 tsp oil. Once it's hot add sliced onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Then add ginger-garlic paste, sliced tomatoes and chopped green chili.Add 1/4 teaspoon salt for the tomatoes to cook faster.
7. Cover and cook for around 4 to 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften, there's no need to cook them completely, just need to soften them a bit.  Remove the pan from heat and let it cool down a bit. Then transfer to a blender and blend to paste. Set this aside.
8. Heat a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil to it, then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
9. Add the prepared onion-tomato paste to it and stir. Followed by adding the spices: coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder. Cook the spices for 1 minute.
10. Continue to cook the masala for 5 to 6 minutes until you see oil leaving from the sides. The color of the masala will also change at this point.
11. At this point add 2 cups water, some garam masala, kasuri methi and salt to taste. Stir and let this come to a gentle boil. Add the prepared koftas and simmer the curry for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.