Lauki Kofta Curry, the Best Vegan Recipe
Prepare to delight everyone at your dinner table with this gluten-free, easy, and vegan lauki kofta recipe. While kofta typically involves minced meat, we make these from tender grated bottle gourd (lauki), seasoning spices, and gorgeously nutty chickpea flour. When you fry the kofta, they become moreish and crispy on the outside, yet succulent and soft on the inside. After, we cook the vegan kofta in a silky curry sauce loaded with caramelized onions, aromatic spices, creamy cashews, and fresh herbs. It’s straightforward and authentic Indian home cooking at its best, with the impressive restaurant-style quality you might expect from a fine-dining experience.
Who knew that the humble bottle gourd could be transformed into a culinary delight this mouthwatering?
I first ate lauki kofta many years ago and fell in love with the traditional, authentic taste, robust spicing, and cosy, homelike recipe. However, it’s so hard to find bottle gourds in the U.K. that as time passed, I forgot about the dish. All that would change when I headed to a local Indian vegan restaurant and spotted lauki kofta on the menu — While I’d usually opt for the rich and spicy bharli vangi, this day was destined for lauki kofta. As unassuming as it looked, the kofta was melt-in-the-mouth soft, while the curry felt warming and inviting — almost as if Mum had made it.
When I reached home that day, I vowed to hunt down some bottle gourds and recreate the magic in my kitchen. The result was this recipe: Vegan lauki kofta. It’s got minimal spicing, and it’s incredibly easy for beginner cooks, yet it does the job. And by that, I mean it gets everyone salivating and wanting a second portion. Especially when it’s served alongside fluffy garlic naan or with some moreish crispy papad. Let’s get started, shall we?
Is Lauki Kofta Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, and Soy-Free?
Yes, this lauki kofta recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. That makes it the perfect lunch or dinner recipe to serve to friends with dietary intolerances. The lauki kofta curry is made with cashews to achieve that gorgeous creamy texture without any dairy, and the naturally gluten-free chickpea flour and cornflour help to hold the kofta together.
To make this recipe nut-free, replace the cashews. The most straightforward and accessible switch is either dairy cream or vegan cream.
What Ingredients Are In Vegan Lauki Kofta Curry?
- Lauki / Bottle gourd is the main ingredient in the kofta. It has a mild flavour similar to zucchini or summer squash, a fresh taste, and a firm texture.
- Potatoes are added to the kofta to give them a bit more body.
- Chickpea flour and corn starch are both used to bind the kofta together so they don’t fall apart while frying. The chickpea flour also lends gorgeous nutty notes to the kofta.
- Ground spices add seasoning to the kofta, resulting in each bite being filled with flavour.
- Tomatoes contribute vibrant colour, tanginess, and subtle sweetness to the dish, and help to make the curry thick.
- Onions bring an intense sweetness to the vegan lauki kofta curry as the paste cooks and caramelizes.
- Cashews help to make the curry sauce creamy, thick, and silky, without adding dairy.
How to Make Vegan Lauki Kofta Curry
- Make the kofta. Grate boiled potatoes with raw lauki and mix with chickpea flour, corn starch, and spices. Then roll them into balls and deep fry them (or air-fry!).
- Make the curry. Boil tomatoes, onions, and cashews until soft to make the creamy curry paste. Then puree this mixture and pass it through a sieve for a beautifully silky texture.
- Add the spices. Heat oil and add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. Fry it until aromatic, then add the pureed paste and ground spices. This is where we add all the flavour!
- Let the oil separate. We’ll fry the paste/curry base until the oil releases from the sides. That’s how we know we’ve extracted the maximum depth of flavour.
- Adjust the consistency. Add water and simmer until the consistency is perfect. Season with garam masala and kasuri methi, then serve with fresh coriander/cilantro leaves.
Variations on the Recipe
- Without Potato. Lauki kofta typically isn’t made with potatoes in the kofta. Bottle gourd/lauki is wildly expensive here, so I like to bulk them out with some potato. Instead, you can replace the potatoes with additional grated lauki and continue with the recipe as stated.
- With dairy. This recipe is vegan as written, meaning it doesn’t involve any animal products or dairy. However, if you’re not vegan, you can stir through some dairy-based cream or yoghurt at the end for extra silkiness.
- Add tofu or paneer to the kofta. This idea is inspired by malai kofta, which is made with potatoes and paneer. You can add tofu (for a vegan version) or paneer (for a vegetarian version) to the kofta to make it extra decadent.
This Recipe Is:
Lauki Kofta Curry, the Best Vegan Recipe
Ingredients
For the Kofta
- 1 medium potato 1 medium = 100g
- 1 medium lauki (bottle gourd) 1 medium = 180g
- 3 tablespoons chickpea flour besan/garbanzo bean flour
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- sea salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornflour cornstarch in the U.S., to mix in
- 1 tablespoon cornflour to coat the kofta
- 1 litre oil to deep fry the kofta
For the Gravy
- 2 medium tomatoes 2 medium = 160g, quartered
- 140 g onion quartered
- 80 g cashew nuts
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- sea salt to taste
- 300 ml water
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves kasuri methi
- 1 tablespoon vegan cream to serve, optional
Instructions
Make the Lauki Kofta
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium potato and cook until knife tender. Drain, cool, and peel. Next, grate the potato into a cheesecloth.
- Peel 1 medium lauki (bottle gourd) (use a vegetable peeler) and grate it into the same cheesecloth. Now, bring the cheesecloth together and squeeze all excess water into a bowl. We'll use this water later, so keep it!
- Transfer the squeezed potato and lauki into a mixing bowl. It should be much drier now. To the same bowl, add 3 tablespoons chickpea flour, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, sea salt to taste, and 1 tablespoon cornflour. Mix well, then shape into small balls (or patties).
Fry the Lauki Kofta
- In a large kadai, deep saucepan, or deep fat fryer, preheat 1 litre oil to about 180℃ (356℉).
- Add 1 tablespoon cornflour to a small bowl and add your shaped balls. Toss the balls in the cornflour until they're coated in starch.
- Once the oil comes to temperature, gently lower the kofta into the oil. Fry in small batches until golden brown, then drain on a kitchen towel. Repeat the process, then turn off the heat.
Make the Lauki Kofta Curry Gravy
- Place a large kadai (or deep-sided frying pan) over low heat. Add 2 medium tomatoes (quartered), 140 g onion (quartered), 80 g cashew nuts, and the reserved water from squeezing the lauki and potato to the kadai. Cook this mixture until everything softens; about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender, cool, and then puree until smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to the same kadai or deep-sided frying pan. Turn the heat up to medium. Once the oil heats, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. They should crackle. Next, add 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste and sauté for around 30 seconds, until the raw smell fades.
- Next, add the pureed tomato-onion-cashew paste to the pan. I pass it through a sieve for the BEST velvety texture.
- Immediately add 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, and sea salt to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, for around 3-5 minutes, or until the oil separates from the sides of the gravy.
- Once the oil separates, add 300 ml water to adjust the consistency. Keep cooking until you reach the thickness you like.
- Sprinkle over ¼ teaspoon garam masala and ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (crush between your palms before adding). Add 1 tablespoon vegan cream to reduce the punchiness and stir everything through. Turn off the heat and serve.
This came out as a traditional lauki kofta curry should with the flavour to suit . I usually go for mild curries and this one was perfect! Thank you