Air fryer recipe · Starters
Baked Lauki Kofta
Light bottle-gourd koftas that stay tender inside with a delicate crisp shell.
- 30 minTotal time
- 190°CAir fryer
- 4Serves
- VegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 45kcal
- 2.3 gprotein
- 7.3 gcarbs
- 0.8 gfat
- 1.1 gfibre
Per serving, about 4 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Grated bottle gourd2 cups
- Gram flour4 tbsp
- Ginger-green chilli paste1 tsp
- Cumin powder1 tsp
- Turmeric1/4 tsp
- Coriander leaves2 tbsp
Method
Drain the gourd
Squeeze the grated bottle gourd hard to push out as much liquid as you can, and keep the juice aside. Removing the water is what lets the koftas firm up and brown instead of steaming into a soft, wet mush.
Build the batter
Mix the squeezed gourd with the gram flour, ginger-chilli paste, cumin, turmeric and coriander. The gram flour binds the watery gourd into a mixture you can shape, and it fries into a nutty, golden crust.
Check the consistency
The mixture should be thick enough to roll without sticking, so add a little more gram flour if it slumps. Rest it five minutes to let the flour drink up moisture and firm up before shaping.
Shape the koftas
Roll the mixture into smooth, even balls and press each gently so it does not crack open. Keeping the koftas small helps the dry heat cook them right through to the centre at the same rate.
Air-fry until set
Arrange the koftas with gaps between them and air-fry at 190°C for 16 min, turning once. They are ready when golden outside and soft inside, firm enough to drop into a gravy without falling apart.
