Ingredients:

• 200g bottle gourd peeled & grated 

• 70g bengal gram flour

• 1-inch piece ginger

• 3 to 4 garlic (optional)

• 1- medium size onion 

• ¼ + ¼ tsp cumin powder

• ¼ + ¼ tsp turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp coriander powder

• ¼ + ½ tsp red chilli powder 

• ¼ + ¼ tsp garam masala

• 5 to 6 cashew nuts

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 100 ml tomato puree

• ½ cup water

• Salt to taste

• Coriander leaves

• Oil for frying

Method:

1. Peel, remove the seeds & grate the bottle gourd. Add salt and set aside.

2. Squeeze out all excess water from the bottle gourd and save the squeezed water for later use.

3. In a bowl, add grated bottle gourd, bengal gram flour, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin powder and mix well.

4. Make small lemon-sized balls with the dough & drop them in hot oil.

5. Keep the flame to medium & fry them until golden brown

6. Now the koftas are ready, keep them aside.

Gravy for the Kofta:

1. Grind the garlic, ginger cashew nuts and onion without adding water keep that aside

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds, when they splutter, add 1 /2 tsp chilli powder and ¼ tsp turmeric powder.

3. Keep the flame low & mix. Then add grounded onion paste cook for 2 mins.

4. Add ½ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp garam masala and ¼ tsp cumin powder. Mix well.

5. Add 100 ml tomato puree, water from bottle gourd & salt and water mix well.

6. Cover & cook for 5 mins, drop the kofta balls into the gravy and cook for 2 more mins.

7. Garnish with some fresh coriander & let it sit for 30 mins before serving.