Paneer and Lauki Kebabs Recipe

Paneer and Lauki Kebabs Recipe: A Delicious Vegetarian Snack for Navratri

By day five of Navratri, most people are tired of the usual food for Navratri. Sabudana Khichdi again, Fruit Chaat again. Try these paneer lauki kebabs. Crisp outside. Soft inside. That is what makes these kebabs so good.

They are easy to make after a long day and they fit well into navratri food for 9 days. Serve them as an evening snack or enjoy them as a light navratri fasting food. It is a Navratri special recipe you will want to add to your navratri dishes recipe list.

  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Cook: 20 minutes
  • Makes: about 10 kebabs

Ingredients

  • 1 cup grated lauki (bottle gourd)
  • 200 gm Fresh Paneer, crumbled
  • 1 boiled potato, mashed
  • 3 tbsp singhara atta (or sama rice flour)
  • 1 green chilli, chopped fine
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
  • Sendha namak, as needed
  • chopped coriander
  • 2 to 3 tbsp Madhusudan Desi Ghee for frying

Tip to remember - Fasting rules change from house to house. Use only what your family follows.

Steps to Cook

  1. Squeeze the lauki - Grate it. Press the grated bottle gourd hard between your palms. A bottle gourd holds a lot of water and water is what breaks kebabs. Keep the squeezed water in a small cup, it might be needed later.
  2. Mix everything - Add the bottle gourd (Lauki), Fresh paneer and potato to a wide bowl. Then the flour, chilli, ginger, cumin, sendha namak and coriander. Mix with your hands. Gently. No need to knead.
  3. Check it out - Take a little in your palm and press. Holds together? Good. Too sticky? Add a spoon of flour. Too dry? A splash of that bottle gourd water fixes it.
  4. Shape - Rub a little ghee on your palms first, the mixture won't stick then. Make small, thick rounds. Not too thin, thin ones crack in the pan.
  5. Chill - Put them in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  6. Fry - Warm a spoon of Desi Ghee in a non-stick pan, medium flame. Lay the kebabs in. Leave them alone for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden underneath. Flip once, gently, add a touch more ghee and cook the other side.
  7. Serve hot. Straight from the pan is best. Madhusudan dahi on the side and maybe a green chutney if your fast allows it.

A Few Handy Things

  • Medium heat only. High flame browns the outside and leaves the inside raw.
  • Crumble the paneer by hand. A mixer makes it too fine and the kebabs turn soft.
  • Don't be stingy with the ghee. That smell is half the reason they taste like a festival snack.
  • No time to fry? Brush with ghee and air fry at 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes.

Why Madhusudan Paneer and Desi Ghee?

A recipe with so few ingredients can't hide anything. Fresh, soft Madhusudan Paneer keeps the kebabs tender. And Madhusudan Desi Ghee gives that warm, nutty smell that plain oil just doesn't.

FAQs

Is lauki okay during Navratri vrat?

In most homes, yes and it is a common food for Navratri fast days. Still, check what your own tradition allows.

Why did my kebabs break?

There is almost always too much water in the lauki. Squeeze more, add a little flour.

Can I skip the potato?

Yes. Add one more spoon of singhara atta instead.

Can these be baked?

Yes. Brush with ghee and bake or air fry until golden.