Bharwa Dudhi in Shahi Gravy

Instructions

1. For the stuffed dudhi/ bottlegourd roundels : Cut the dudhi into 1/2 inch thick roundels. Take care not to cut them very thick or they won't cook properly. Using a sharp knife, cut out hollows into each round. Don't discard the inner core...It can be used to make a delicious chutney by grinding it with red chillies, garlic, lemon juice or tamarind, salt and sugar to taste. A small dudhi should give you about 10-12 roundels.
2. For the stuffing : Mix together the paneer, mashed potatoes, finely chopped green chilli, garam masala, besan (for binding) and salt.
3. Take a spoonful of the stuffing and fill each roundel and pat snugly. The besan helps in the binding and will help the stuffing stay in place.
4. In a flat pan, heat some oil and shallow fry all the roundels, flipping them over often to cook them evenly. Keep the gas on medium to ensure the dudhi gets cooked properly. It will take about 4-5 minutes. Poke a knife into the edge of a roundel, if it goes in easily, its cooked. The stuffing will get a golden brown colour as seen in the photographs.
5. Now for the curry, heat oil in a kadhai and add in all the khada masala. Put in the onions and fry till translucent. Add the cashews, ginger-garlic paste, a little water and cover. Cook for around 5-7 minutes. Add in the tomato ketchup, cool and grind to a paste.
6. Take the same kadhai and heat a spoonful of oil. Add in the paste and the remaining masalas and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and the kasuri methi just before switching off the gas.
7. To serve, take a spoonful of gravy on a plate, put 3-4 of the stuffed roundels on top. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

• Servings : 4 servings
• Ready in : 60 Minutes
• Course : Main Course
• Recipe Type : Main Course (Indian/ World Cuisine)