Churakka(bottle gourd/ lauki) kofta curry

Ingredients

• Churakka/Lauki/Bottle gourd (Grated) - 4 cups
• Gram Flour/Besan/ Kadalapodi - 1/2 cup
• Garlic paste - 1 Tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 Tsp
• Red Chilly powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Green chilly finely chopped - 1
• Onion finely chopped - 1
• Coriander Leaves - few sprigs
• Garam Masala - 1/4 Tsp
• Chaat Masala - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - as per taste
• For the Gravy
• Onion (Sliced)- 4
• Garlic - 4
• Tomato -3
• Onion (Finely Chopped) - 1 Big
• Green Chilli (Finely Chopped) - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Kashmiri Red chilly powder - 1 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 Tsp
• Cumin(Jeera) powder - 1/4 Tsp
• Garam Masala - 1 1/2 Tsp
• Chaat Masala - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt
• Oil - 2 Tsp
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
• Coriander Leaves - 2 Sprigs

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Preparation

• How to cook Churakka/Lauki/Bottle gourd Kofta Curry
  How to prepare Koftas
• Peel of the skin of the bottle gourd , also discard the seeds. Grate it and squeeze out the excess water from it.
  In a bowl , mix grated bottle gourd, garlic paste , ginger paste, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, green chilly, onion, coriander leaves, garam masala and chaat masala. Mix all the ingredients with your hand. Add gram flour to bind all the ingredients. Add more flour if required. ( Do not add water, as good amount of moisture is there in grated bottle gourd itself). Mix well.
• Make small round balls of kofta's with your hand. Keep it aside.
  Heat oil for deep frying. Fry the koftas until golden brown on a medium flame.
  Place it on kitchen tissues and leave it to cool down.
• For the Gravy/ Sauce
  Heat oil in a kadai, add garlic and fry it. Then add sliced onions. Saute it well until it changes colour to very light brown.
  Transfer it to a mixer and make it to a paste.
  Blanch tomatoes and make puree.
• Heat ghee in the same kadai, add finely chopped onions and green chilly. Saute until onions are soften.Lower the flame and add the onion paste to it.Mix it and add turmeric, red chilly, cumin and coriander powder. Saute it for a minute. Add the tomato puree, salt and water for the required gravy/sauce.Cook it covered and bring it to boil. Lower the flame and add garam masala and chaat masala. Close the lid and bring it to boil.
• Off the flame and add the fried koftas. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
  Serve with chappathi/roti/naan.... or with steamed rice.
• Notes
  If you don't want the koftas to be fried , you can steam it until cooked.