Like I promised previously, here is a recipe which is perhaps covered in many recipe books, the ‘Recipe’, I mean…..but I want to share the ‘techniques’ in detail, that will convert a half an affair to fifteen minutes work. Before that let me also add an anecdote that I remember when I come across this dish…
Newly married and on honeymoon, we were waiting at Kolkata airport to catch the connecting flight. I saw a book shop filled to brim with books, and I could not resist my temptation anymore. What’s more, when I stepped in, I saw racks and racks of recipe books. Any chef…you name and his/her book was there. I was in seventh heaven! Plus, the newly married Bridomania of ‘I will cook the best food in the world for my dear hubby’ was still running pretty high. After poring over each book, after getting confused over which books to buy, after having to convince a shell shocked brand new hubby (as he was still trying to grapple with my logic of buying a book when you get everything over net, free of cost) and getting him to cough out the huge price, I settled for two books, the high end ones..
Meanwhile I heard someone calling my name...and was pleasantly surprised. A second later, I understood it was an announcement…and yet a second later, we understood, it was the last announcement calling us to board the plane…and then…….. All hell broke loose! I think, you can imagine how it is, to run awkwardly in makeup and high heels and fly past people like your life is on that plane, with handbags dangling all around and two big books in hand.....I did not notice all this, as I was too happy to have become the proud possessor of those books. No one could stop me from being the best cook and wife now! Did we miss the plane? Oh no! I just had to avoid my husband’s angry looks throughout the journey...and trust me as embarrassed as I was; I did my best to act like nothing had happened and enraging him even more!
Now you know why this dish “BOTTLE GOURD DUMPLINGS IN TOMATO GRAVY” or simply Lauki kofta as one of those two cook book mentions, reminds me of this incident….every time I open that book I can see myself panting into the plane with bags and books in each hand and the killer look in my hubby’s eyes! Anyway to make good use of the book, I once prepared this dish reading the book and following instructions to the T. It took me half an hour. If I just highlight the procedure; it asks you to make koftas first and then gravy. And for koftas, it says,
· Mix grated bottlegourd with asafoetida,gram flour, salt and coriander leaves. Divide mixture in 20 balls.(this takes anywhere from 5 to 15 min)
· Heat 1” deep oil in a shallow pan, deep fry until golden brown. 10 balls at a time. Keep aside.(this takes another 10 to 15 min. for two rounds of frying)
· For gravy, heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan for 30 sec, ass asafoetida, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and ginger mix. Add liquidized tomato and fry until oil separates. Add beaten yoghurt and cook for a minute.(this takes anywhere from 5 to 7 min)
· Add the fried balls, 3 cups water and salt to taste. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 min. (takes about 10 min maximum)
· Add Garam Masala and coriander leaves; mix well serve hot.
There you go; the tasty Lauki kofta is ready with very few instructions and no lengthy details! Nobody warned a beginner like me that it would take somewhere about 30 to 45 minutes! And this would be just one item amongst others to be prepared in the menu list for the day!
Here is what I learnt later on, from Jayasree aunty for lauki kofta and it took 15 minutes…
Ingredients (in order of requirement):
Oil 4-5 tbsp Green chilies ½ to 1(depending on hotness)
Lauki 300 gm Onion 2 medium sized
Besan 4 tbsp Turmeric ½ ts
Salt 1 tsp Cumin powder ½ tsp
Ajwain 1 tsp Dhaniya powder 1 tsp
Tomato 2-3 medium sized Chilli powder ½ tsp
Cashew 4 to 5 Garam masala ½ tsp
Garlic 1 tsp (optional) Milk/cream 2 tbsp (optional)
Ginger 1tsp Kasuri methi 1 to 2 tsp
Coriander leaves 1 tbsp
Method:
v In a kadhai, keep oil for heating, and while it heats,
v In a blender, lauki, squeeze the water and mix it with gram flour, salt, ajwain(takes 3 to 5 min), make balls
v Fry the balls and keep aside.(10 min)
v Now, while frying, on the next gas keep a vessel of water and Blanche tomatoes, garlic, ginger, green chilli, cashew, black pepper (optional). This can also be done by keeping in microwave for 5 min.
v Remove oil from kadhai, leave a tbsp behind and sauté sliced onion allow cooling for 2 min.
v Add this sauté d onion to a small mixie/blender and make a paste
v Remove it and next puree the blanched tomato and other ingriedients in same blender jar.(grinding onion and tomato together may sometimes leave the raw flavor of onion behind)
v Heat the remaining oil from frying in the same kadhai (1tsp)
v Add jeera, onion paste.
v Once it browns, add the tomato puree after 1 min.
v Add all the spice powders ,
v Once oil separates from the tomato add milk/cream after 2 min
v salt, red chilli powder and pinch of sugar(optional)
v Then add water, about half glass so that the balls are immersed in the gravy and boil for 2 min.
v Garnish with kasuri methi and coriander leaves and serves hot with rotis.
No comments:
Post a Comment