Skip to content

How to Make Indian Lauki Kofte

Lauki Ke Kofte(लौकী के कोफ़्ते)— Indian Bottle Gourd Meatball Curry

Indian Lauki Kofte is a classic North Indian vegetarian dish. Grated bottle gourd (calabash) is mixed with chickpea flour to form meatballs, which are then fried and simmered in a rich tomato-onion curry sauce. The texture is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a fragrant and thick sauce. It pairs well with Indian flatbreads or rice. It takes approximately 40 minutes to prepare.

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Bottle Gourd (Calabash)
  • Chickpea Flour (Besan)
  • Onion
  • Tomato
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Green Chili
  • Cilantro
  • Turmeric Powder
  • Red Chili Powder
  • Coriander Powder
  • Cumin Powder
  • Garam Masala
  • Salt
  • Cooking Oil
  • Deep Pot or Wok

Preparation

Before each preparation, determine how many servings you want to make. One serving is sufficient for 2-3 people.

Per Serving:

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 Bottle Gourd (Calabash) (approx. 400g)
  • 80g Chickpea Flour
  • 3g Salt
  • 3g Red Chili Powder
  • 3g Coriander Powder
  • 500ml Cooking Oil (for frying meatballs)

For the Sauce:

  • 2 Onions (approx. 200g), chopped
  • 3 Tomatoes (approx. 300g), chopped
  • 10g Ginger, grated
  • 4 Cloves Garlic (approx. 12g), grated
  • 1 Green Chili, chopped
  • 30ml Cooking Oil
  • 3g Turmeric Powder
  • 5g Red Chili Powder
  • 5g Coriander Powder
  • 3g Cumin Powder
  • 3g Garam Masala
  • 5g Salt
  • 200ml Water
  • 10g Cilantro Leaves (for garnish)

Instructions

Making the Meatballs

  • Peel the bottle gourd and grate it into fine shreds using a grater.
  • Squeeze out the moisture from the grated gourd by hand. Squeeze as dry as possible; otherwise, the meatballs will not hold their shape.
  • Add 80g chickpea flour, 3g salt, 3g red chili powder, and 3g coriander powder to the squeezed gourd shreds.
  • Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined, kneading into a dough-like consistency that does not stick to the hands.
  • Roll the mixture into small balls with a diameter of about 3cm and set aside.
  • Pour 500ml of cooking oil into a deep pot and heat over medium heat to approximately 170°C (test by dropping a small piece of dough; it should float quickly and bubble).
  • Fry the meatballs in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the surface.
  • Remove the fried meatballs and blot excess oil with kitchen paper. Set aside.

Making the Sauce

  • Pour 30ml of cooking oil into a wok and heat over medium heat for 10 seconds.
  • Add the chopped onions and stir-fry until the onions turn golden brown (about 5-7 minutes).
  • Add the grated ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for 1 minute until aromatic.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and stir-fry until the tomatoes are completely soft and release their oil (about 5 minutes).
  • Add 3g of turmeric powder, 5g of red chili powder, 5g of coriander powder, 3g of cumin powder, and 5g of salt.
  • Stir-fry for 2 minutes to allow the spices to fully blend with the tomatoes.
  • Add 200ml of water, stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Gently place the fried meatballs into the sauce and simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes to allow the meatballs to absorb the sauce.
  • Sprinkle with 3g of garam masala and chopped green chilies.
  • Turn off the heat, garnish with cilantro leaves, and serve.

Additional Notes

  • Squeezing out the water from the bottle gourd is a critical step; too much moisture will cause the meatballs to fall apart and lose their shape.
  • Avoid simmering the meatballs in the sauce for too long, or they will become too soft and lose their texture.
  • This dish is typically served in India with Naan or steamed rice (Chawal).
  • The word "Kofte" originates from Persian/Arabic, meaning "crushed" or "ground," and is widely used in South Asia and the Middle East.

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement while following this guide, please open an Issue or submit a Pull request.