Lauki kofta / Bottle gourd kofta

This is a very popular side dish with fried bottle gourd balls dipped in gravy. Usually I prepare such dishes at night time only. So I always struggle due to light problem while taking pics. So this time I decided to prepare the dish in the afternoon during my 3 year old's nap time.
I managed to finish all the works during his nap time and as i arranged everything for photo shoot, he suddenly woke up and caught hold of my camera and started playing with it. Finally after half an hour when I got back my camera, the real tragedy occurred. The Koftas absorbed all the gravy!!!!!!! So it is my advice not to dip all the koftas in the gravy before your serving time.

Ingredients :

For preparing koftas:

• Lauki / bottle gourd (grated ) : 2.5 cup
• Besan flour / roasted chick pea flour : 1/2 cup (As required)
• Chilly powder : 1 tspn
• Cumin seed / jeera : 1/2 tspn
• Ginger chopped : 1/2 tspn
• Coriander leaves : 2 tblspn
• Salt
• Oil

For gravy :

• Onion : 1 big
• Tomato : 1 medium
• Ginger : 1/2 "piece
• Green chilly chopped : 1
• Cumin seeds / jeera : 1/2 tspn
• Coriander powder : 1/2 tblspn
• Chilly powder : 1 tspn
• Garam masala powder : 1/2 tspn
• Curd : 2 tblspn (optional)

To temper :

• Bay leaf : 1
• Cloves : 4
• Cardamom : 2
• Cinnamom : 1 stick

Method :

• Peel the bottle gourd, remove the seeds and grate it. Now squeeze it and extract the juice. Keep the juice aside and mix the squeezed lauki with all the ingredients listed under "For preparing koftas"except oil. 
• Mix it well and make dough with it. If required add extra besan flour. Make small lemon shaped balls with the dough and keep it aside. 

• Heat a pan with oil. Now deep fry the balls on a low flame. Once the koftas are golden brown in colour and crispy, remove it from oil and drain it.

For preparing gravy :

• Heat a pan with oil. 
• Add chopped ginger, tomato, onion, cumin seeds and green chilly.
• Saute it well and add coriander powder, chilly powder and garam masala powder.
• Saute it well .Switch off the flame, remove it from stove and grind it in to a smooth paste.
• Heat the same pan with a little oil. Add all the ingredients listed under "to temper ". Add the ground paste and saute it well. Add the lauki juice for the gravy. 

• Now add beaten curd and chopped coriander leaves. Don't allow to boil. Switch off the flame.
• Now add koftas to the gravy (better to add while serving).

Note :

• Adding of curd is optional only.This is first time I'm using curd.It will give a different taste