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Bottle Gourd Balls Recipe ready to serve

Bottle Gourd Balls Recipe (Fried First, Cooked in Spiced Gravy)

Grated bottle gourd mixed with gram flour and spices, shaped into balls, fried until golden, and then briefly cooked in a ground spice paste gravy. Frying first keeps the balls firm so they hold their shape in the sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Gravy Paste (Ground Together)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 7 to 8 dried red chilies
  • 2 medium onions
  • 3 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 piece ginger around 1 inch
Whole Spices and Oil (Stay Separate)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 100 g oil for frying the balls
For the Bottle Gourd Balls
  • 1 bottle gourd around 500g, peeled and grated
  • 50 g gram flour
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp salt
For the Gravy
  • 50 g water added while cooking the paste
  • 250 g water for the gravy
To Finish
  • Fresh coriander leaves

Method
 

Make the Spice Paste:
  1. Grind garlic, dried red chilies, onions, coriander seeds, and ginger together into a paste.
  2. Add a small splash of water while grinding if it is too dry to come together.
  3. Keep cumin seeds, turmeric, and salt aside in a separate small plate. They do not go into the grinder.
Prepare the Bottle Gourd:
  1. Peel, wash, and grate the bottle gourd.
  2. Squeeze out all the water with your hands until the grated gourd feels almost dry. Do not skip or rush this step.
  3. Add gram flour, red chilli powder, and salt. Mix by hand until evenly combined and firm enough to roll.
Fry the Balls:
  1. Heat 100g oil in a pan on medium-high flame.
  2. Shape batter into small balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball.
  3. Fry in batches until golden all over, turning as needed. Do not crowd the pan.
  4. Set aside on a plate once done.
Cook the Gravy:
  1. Pour off most of the leftover frying oil from the pan, keeping about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Transfer that oil to your cooking pot.
  2. Add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds on medium heat.
  3. Add the ground paste and stir regularly so it does not catch.
  4. After 30 seconds, add 50g water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame until the raw smell is gone and oil separates at the sides.
  5. Add turmeric, salt, and 250g water. Stir to bring the gravy together.
Add the Balls and Finish:
  1. Add fried balls into the gravy and bring to a boil.
  2. Cook for about 4 minutes only. Longer and the balls absorb too much gravy and go soft.
  3. Top with fresh coriander and serve.

Notes

Squeeze the grated gourd until it feels almost dry. Any water left in stops the gram flour from binding and the balls fall apart in the oil.
Make sure the oil is properly hot before the first batch goes in. Oil that is not hot enough makes the balls absorb it instead of forming a crust.