- 3 medium-sized zucchini (about 1 to 1¼ pounds)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- About 1 fresh hot green chili, minced
- 3 tablespoons finely minced onion
- ½ teaspoon peeled and very finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons finely minced Chinese parsley
- 1/3 cup chickpea flour
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil from deep frying
- 2 medium-sized onions, peeled and very finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
- ½ pound tomatoes (about 2 tomatoes), peeled and finely minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds
- ¼ to 1/3 teaspoon salt
- Wash, trim, and grate the zucchini. Put it into a bowl and sprinkle it with the ½ teaspoon salt. Set it aside for half an hour.
- Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the zucchini by pressing handfuls of it between your two palms. Save this zucchini liquid for the sauce.
- Dry off the bowl and put the zucchini back in it.
- Add the minced chili (you may want to use more than 1 chili, depending on your taste), the 3 tablespoons minced onion, the grated ginger, and the Chinese parsley.
- Sift the chickpea flour over this vegetable mixture. Mix well and form 16 neat balls.
- In a skillet, wok, or other utensil for deep frying, heat about 1½ inches of oil over a medium flame (a wok should have 1½ inches at its center).
- When hot, put in 5 to 6 of the balls, or as many as the utensil will hold easily in one layer.
- Fry for about l½ minutes, or until the balls turn a rich, reddish-brown color. Turn the balls every now and then as they fry.
- Remove them with a slotted spoon when they are done and leave to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Do all the “meatballs” this way.
- To make the sauce, remove 5 tablespoons of the oil used in deep frying and put this in a 10-inch skillet or sauté pan. Heat the oil over a medium flame. When hot, put in the minced onions. Stir and fry for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions begin to turn brown at the edges.
- Take the pan off the fire for a couple of seconds and add the turmeric, cayenne, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Stir once and put the pan back on the fire.
- Stir for another 5 seconds and then add the minced tomatoes. Stir and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini juice. (You need 1 cup; if you have less, add some water.) Bring to a boil.
- Cover, lower heat and let the sauce simmer gently for 15 minutes. (This much of the recipe may be prepared several hours ahead of time.)
- Add the cream, garam masala, ground roasted cumin, and the ¼ to 1/3 teaspoon salt. Mix well, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
- Now put in the “meatballs.” Spoon the sauce over them. Cover, and simmer very gently for 6 to 7 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the “meatballs” a few times during this cooking period.
- These “meatballs” turn very soft when cooked in the sauce, so handle them gently and serve immediately.