Special Tinda Kofta curry

Vegetarian food is very less spoken about when it comes to simple vegetables like gourds. More so, the special occasions see Cottage cheese taking the whole limelight. Tinda will never see any smiling faces especially if one is not a very vegetable admirer in normal life. But marwari homes, where the routine is the vegetarian kitchen, simple ingredients, dishes celebrate the beauty of every vegetable in its own special way. This recipe is one of those special ones that is cooked for festive or special occasions in summers.

Special Tinda kofta is one of my moms most popular recipe and it is always enjoyed by guests  and family.

Tinda or round gourd is a humble vegetable mostly available in summers.

As a family we grew up on pure vegetarian meals, whic is kind of my marked statement in all my vegetraian recipes. At home, making the meals interesting and party wise, was always my mothers biggest challenge.But she had such a whole bunch of such interesting unusual recipes, that I am always asking for more.

Amongst the three siblings I was the least fussy eater and hence happily enjoyed summers when most of the the gourds would make one of the meals

It does look intimidating  at first sight but belief me that this recipe proves to be a game changer when it comes to  special vegetarian cooking.

I hope this recipe finds you in love with this vegetable all over again…. 🙂

Print Recipe

Special Tinda Kofta Curry

Simple round gourd, stuffed with cottage cheese and cooked in a rich gravy of tomatoes and poppy seeds, usually served for special dinners in vegetarian households, as it is simple, yet rich in flavours and presentation.

Prep Time

15 Minutes

Cook Time

45 Minutes

Servings

Portions

Ingredients

• 250 grams Round Gourd 6-7 tinda of similar size
• 100 grams Cottage Cheese crumbled
• 1 large Tomato finely chopped
• 2 green chili finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp jeera

Kofta

• 1/2 cup gram flour besan
• 1/2 tsp A pinch of salt
• pinch of carom seeds ajwain
• Water to make paste
• oil to fry

For the Curry Paste

• 1 Inch Ginger
• 1 Tsp Red Chili
• 1 Tsp Tumeric
• 3 Tbsp Coriander seeds
• 2 Tsp Poppy seeds khus khus
• 1/2 Tbsp Cumin jeera
• 1 Tomato

Curry

• 4 Cloves
• 4 Green Cardamom
• 2 Bay leaves
• 6 Tbsp Curd
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 100 Grams Boiled pea mash
• 4-5 Tbsp Ghee For various stages together

Prep Time 15 Minutes Cook Time 45 Minutes Servings Portions Ingredients 250 grams Round Gourd 6-7 tinda of similar size 100 grams Cottage Cheese crumbled 1 large Tomato finely chopped 2 green chili finely chopped Salt to taste 1 tsp jeera Kofta 1/2 cup gram flour besan 1/2 tsp A pinch of salt pinch of carom seeds ajwain Water to make paste oil to fry For the Curry Paste 1 Inch Ginger 1 Tsp Red Chili 1 Tsp Tumeric 3 Tbsp Coriander seeds 2 Tsp Poppy seeds khus khus 1/2 Tbsp Cumin jeera 1 Tomato Curry 4 Cloves 4 Green Cardamom 2 Bay leaves 6 Tbsp Curd 1 Tbsp salt 100 Grams Boiled pea mash 4-5 Tbsp Ghee For various stages together

Instructions

Prepare Tinda

1. Peal wash and scoop them.
2. Now steam the hollow tinda in a water bath for 20-25 minutes
3. Strain and allow the moisture to dry till you prepare other elements.
4. Heat ghee (1 tbsp) in a pan and add jeera.
5. Add the flesh taken from Tinda and allow to roast till a bit soft.
6. Add chopped tomatoes and crumbled cottage cheese along with chopped green chilies
7. Allow to roast for 2-3 minutes and then add salt and allow to cool.
8. Fill the cooled cheese mixture in the steamed tindas, and prepare the batter for koftas.

Preparing Koftas

1. Make a batter with ingredients under Kofta with just enough water to make a batter like we make for fritters
2. Heat oil in a kadhai
3. Dip stuffed Tinda in the batter and fry in hot oil at medium heat till golden brown.
4. Strain on a kitchen towel and prepare for the curry

Curry

1. Grind the ingredients for curry paste.
2. Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a pan and add cloves cardamom and bay leaf.
3. Now add beaten curd and curry paste and roast for 3-4 minutes
4. Now add salt and mashed boiled peas.
5. Add water or whey left from making cottage cheese and cook on low flame for 5-10 minutes.
6. Add Koftas just before serving and bring to a boil
7. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with chapati s

Recipe Notes

Use similar size gourds to ensure even cooking

One can add a small onion while making curry  paste

Use the whey to make curry if u have made cottage cheese at home 

 

If any mixture is extra after filling the gourds, add that to the curry along with mashed peas 

Mashed peas give body to the curry and can be omitted if using onion in curry paste.