Heat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, grate the squashes and onion. Add the spices, and the (optional) egg. Mix the chickpea flour until it reaches the consistency of bread dough. Form the kofta "dough" into 1 inch diameter balls. Place on cookie sheet, bake for 25 minutes or so.

While cooking: mix Malai sauce, pureing all ingredients in blender.

Heat 4 tablespoons peanut oil in a saucepan. add the spices all at once to hot oil for 1 minute. Add tomato puree to spices. Add 1 more cup cream to spices and the puree. Boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes. Add half of the cooked Kofta balls. Simmer another 10 to soften them.

Serve with brown rice, chapatis, vinegar soaked onions and chilies.

Heuristics: 1) slightly wet hands when forming Kofta balls 2) Freeze other half of Kofta balls and use with next batch of Malai to save time. 3) keep Kofta balls seperate from Malai sauce till needed. (they absorb the liquid from sauce) 4) milk can be substituted for some of the cream. Have not tried soy milk 5) add one drop red and one drop yellow food coloring to vinegar to make reasonably authentic orange onions (a la Akbar's)

Marg@monu6.cc. Monash. Edu. Au