Vegan Lauki Ke Kofte: Plant-Based Delight in Tomato Gravy

Embark on a culinary journey into the heart of Indian cuisine with our delightful recipe for Lauki Ke Kofte. This vegan masterpiece showcases the versatile and humble bottle gourd, or lauki, transformed into delectable koftas (vegetable balls) that are gently nestled in a rich and aromatic tomato-based gravy. Not only is this dish a celebration of flavors, but it's also entirely plant-based, making it an ideal choice for vegans and those seeking a healthy, meatless alternative.

This Recipe is free from :

• Wheat
• Peanuts
• tree nuts
• dairy
• casein
• soy
• egg
• sesame
• fish
• shellfish

Ingredients For Vegan Lauki Ke Kofte

1. Lauki / Bottle Gourd - freshly grated - 1 cup .
2. Moong dal - Soaked - 2 TBSP
3. Minced garlic - 1 Tsp
4. Finely chopped ginger 2 Tsp
5. Green chilies - finely chopped - 3-4
6. Chickpea flour / Besan - 1/4  cup
7. Onion - finely chopped - 1
8. Tomato - finely chopped -1
9. Turmeric powder - 2 Tsp
10. Coriander - cumin seeds powder - 1 Tsp
11. Red chilli powder - 1 Tsp
12. Garam Masala powder - 1 Tsp
13. Cilantro - finely chopped
14. Vegetable oil - 3 - 4 TBSP
15. Mustard seeds / Mohri - 1 Tsp
16. Hing powder - 1/4  Tsp
17. Salt to taste

Method -

Kofte -

1. Peel the skin of lauki and then grate it . Add salt to grated lauki . Cover and keep aside for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes , Squeeze all the water from lauki . You can use a muslin cloth to strain the water. Keep the water aside for later use in gravy.
3. To squeezed lauki add finely chopped ginger , finely chopped green chilies , turmeric powder , coriander cumin powder and Besan . Mix well.
4. Make lemon size balls or kofte .
5. Shallow fry them in a appe pan until they turn golden brown in color or alternatively you can deep fry them in vegetable oil.

Gravy -

1. Heat a pan on medium heat. Once hot add 1 Tsp vegetable oil.
2. Add mustard seeds , after they splutter , add hing powder.
3. Add finely chopped ginger , garlic and green chilies. Saute for a minute.
4. Add finely chopped onion and saute till they turn translucent .
5. Add finely chopped tomatoes and salt to taste . Saute till tomatoes turn mushy.
6. Add turmeric powder , red chili powder , garam masala powder . Saute for another 1-2 minutes.
7. Add the lauki water and bring to a nice boil. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

For Assembling -

1. In a wide bowl. Add gravy , place the koftas on the gravy. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot with a roti or paratha.