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Zucchini Kofa Curry in a silver serving dish with cilantro garnish
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5 from 7 votes

Zucchini Kofta Curry

You'll love this delcious zucchini kofta curry with zucchini and chickpea flour dumplings in a spicy sauce. It spins off a north Indian dish called lauki kofta made with bottle gourd, a summer squash that's widely eaten all over India.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Lunch/Dinner, Main Course/Curry
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Meatless, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 5
Calories: 198kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet or wok

Ingredients

  • 3 medium zucchini (grated with large holes on grater)
  • 2 tablespoon rice flour (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne (divided, use more or less per your preference)
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoon chickpea flour (or besan)
  • teaspoon ginger garlic paste (divided)
  • ¼ cup avocado oil or any neutral oil (approx, for fying the koftas. You can also bake or air-fry them, see tips and tricks section above)
  • 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
  • 3 medium tomatoes (roughly chopped)
  • 2 tablespoon raw cashews (use pumpkin seeds if nut-free)
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala (or more, as garam masala brands vary. Add more if needed after tasting)
  • 2 tablespoon kasoori methi
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Grate the zucchini using the large holes on the grater. Sprinkle half a teaspoon of salt and mix it in, then let the zucchini stand 10 minutes in a strainer or bowl.
    Place the zucchini in a cheesecloth after squeezing out as much moisture as you can by hand. Wring the cheesecloth to get any remaining moisture out.
  • Place the zucchini shreds in a bowl. Add the spices to it--half of the cayenne, half of the turmeric, half of the coriander powder, all of the cumin powder and a teaspoon of the ginger garlic paste and mix it in. Add the chickpea flour and rice flour, if using. Form 18-20 balls and flatten them slightly so they'll be easier to shallow-fry.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. You need enough oil to coat the bottom and then some more, about an eighth of an inch deep. Shallow fry the koftas on both sides, without crowding, until golden brown. Remove them to a colander or plate lined with a paper towel.
  • If there is much oil remaining in the pan, you can pour some of it out and leave just enough to saute the onions, about a teaspoon. Saute the onions, and when they start to turn golden brown add the remaining ½ teaspoon of ginger garlic paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  • While the onions are frying, puree the tomatoes with the cashew nuts or pumpkin seeds. Add the tomatoes to the pan, then add the remaining cayenne, coriander powder, turmeric and garam masala and let the tomatoes cook, stirring frequently, until they lose most of their moisture and darken.
  • Add 2 cups of water to the pan and mix it in. Add the kasoori methi, crushing it between your palms as you add it to both powder it coarsely and to release the flavors. Mix it in.
    If the curry thickens up as it cooks, add more water, although you want a fairly thick consistency to this kofta curry.
  • Once the curry comes to a boil, let it cook about 10 minutes for the flavors to meld together. Then add salt to taste. Turn off the heat.
  • Place the kofta balls in a serving dish and pour the curry on top. Garnish with cilantro.
  • Serve hot or warm.

Notes

  • Nutrition info is for pan-fried koftas. You can cut down on the oil by baking or air frying and further reduce the calorie and fat count.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1035IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg