Lauki Kofta In Spicy Gravy

Ingredients -
Lauki (bottle gourd) - 1/2 kg
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2 ( blanched and pureed)
Gram flour - 4 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies minced - 3
Salt -  1/2 tsp + for gravy
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds (carom seed) - a pinch
Oil - 4 tbsp + for frying
Bay leaf - 2
Warm water - for gravy
Cream - 2 tbsp
 
For dry grinding -
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
black pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4
Red chillies whole - 2

Lightly roast and dry grind it and keep it aside.

Method -

1. Grate the gourd and squeeze all the water out of it.
2. Take the grated gourd in a bowl and mix gram flour, red chilli powder, ajwain and salt in it. Mix it nicely.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Make sylindricle shape balls using little water in your palms and fry the balls simaltaneously. Fry all the balls to use it later.
4. Grind the onions. Take out the excess oil from the pan letting 4 tbsp remain there. Put bay leaf and ground onions in the pan and fry it for a while .
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute it for 2 minutes. Put the minced chillies, all the dry ground masala with  turmeric powder and tomato puree and fry untill it has taken a brown colour.
6. Add warm water to make a smooth and thick gravy, let it come to a boil. Add the fried balls into the gravy just before serving and let it simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes or untill it is soft. Take special care not to overcook it.
7. Pour some of the cream in the gravy.
Take it out in a serving bowl and garnish it with coriander and cream and serve it with paratha, roti or rice.