What is a Kofta?

What is a Kofta?
Koftas are dumplings famous in India. A variety of koftas 
can be made with different ingredients.
There are bottle gourd koftas (Lauki Kofta) and creamy koftas (Malai Kofta). Kofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian meatball or meatloaf. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat. Which is usually beef or lamb that are mixed with spices and/or onions. The vegetarian varieties, like lauki kofta and shahi aloo kofta, are popular in India. In other words ' Kofta ' is a Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian dish made by grinding meat, mixing it with spices, and forming it into balls or cylinders for cooking.
Kofta is known by a variety of other names including kefta, kufta, and qofte.
The meat is often mixed with other ingredients such
as rice, bulgur, vegetables, or eggs to form a smooth paste. Koftas are sometimes made with fish or vegetables rather than red meat, especially in India. They can be grilled, fried, steamed, poached, baked or marinated, and may be served with a rich spicy sauce.
In countries with a large vegetarian population, like India, it is possible to find vegetable koftas made with an assortment of vegetables like cauliflower, corn, peas, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, green beans, squash, onions, beetroot, and ginger.
Vegetable kofta are often served with a thick, flavorful gravy in India and Southeast Asia.
Small, drier koftas make great appetizers.