Bottle gourd, also known as lauki or calabash, is a versatile vegetable that may be used in a number of delicious recipes. Whether you prefer savoury or sweet, bottle gourd’s mild flavour and silky texture make it an excellent ingredient in a variety of cuisines. In this compilation, we’ve compiled six simple and tasty bottle gourd recipes that will quickly become household favourites. From speedy stir-fries to warm soups and sumptuous desserts, these dishes demonstrate how flexible and delicious bottle gourd can be.
The lauki might taste bitter at times. Thus, before attempting any recipe that calls for bottle gourds, taste them a little. Throw away the bottle gourd if you think it tastes bitter. For optimal flavour, use soft, fresh lauki.
Bottle Gourd Recipes
- Bottle Gourd (Lauki) Raita
- Lauki Yakhni Recipe
- Lauki Chana Dal Sabzi
- Lauki Halwa
- Lauki Kofta
- Lauki Sabzi
Bottle Gourd (Lauki) Raita
Raita is an Pakistani condiment dip or sauce that is created with yogurt and flavoured with vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Raita can be sweet or savory. The savory variety has a mild, tangy flavor that goes well with curries, kebabs, biryani, and other spicy or peppery dishes. To be more particular, a savory raita is a perfect side dish when served with dal-rice or chapati-sabzi.
You can eat a sweet raita straight up, just like dessert. It is an easy, refreshing, savory condiment sauce made with bottle gourd, spices and curd (yogurt). This raita is cooling to the palate and can be served with Pulao, Biryani or any Indian meal.
To make this wonderful lauki (bottle gourd) raita, first wash, peel, and grate or chop the lauki till you have between ¾ and 1 cup of grated lauki. For this dish, I used half of a medium-sized lauki, which can be grated with a box grater or a food processor. Next, pour the grated lauki in a pan with one to one and a half cups of water, stir well and heat on the burner. Cook with ⅛ teaspoon salt over medium-low heat, stirring periodically, until the lauki is soft and fully cooked. Once cooked, drain the lauki through a juice strainer or sieve and reserve the strained water in a basin.
In a separate dish, whisk together 1 cup of fresh chilled curd until smooth. Combine cooked lauki with ½ to 1 teaspoon of finely chopped green chilies or serrano peppers. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder instead of green chilies. Season with ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, a pinch of garam masala powder (optional), and black salt to taste. Stir the mixture thoroughly. If necessary, you can use edible and food-grade rock salt or normal salt instead of black salt. Serve the lauki raita immediately or refrigerate and serve within a few hours. To add a fresh touch, garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
Lauki Yakhni Recipe
To prepare this tasty lauki meal, sauté the lauki in ghee and leave aside. In a separate pan over medium heat, sauté the onions until golden brown. Add the dahi and stir until it reaches a boil. Next, add the saunf and saunt, stirring again. Gradually add the cream while stirring continually. Then, completely combine the hari elaichi, jeera powder, salt, and dhania powder. Toss in the sautéed lauki pieces, then let the gravy simmer for a few minutes. Finally, garnish with fresh mint and coriander leaves before serving the dish hot.
Lauki Chana Dal Sabzi
To make this delectable lauki chana dal recipe, first soak 1 cup of chana dal in a big bowl for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and rough slice the lauki. In a pressure cooker, add 3 cups lauki and the soaked chana dal. Combine 1 teaspoon ghee, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon chilli powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté for 2 minutes, until everything is properly mixed. Then, add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 4 whistles, taking care not to use too much water because the lauki will release water while cooking.
In a large kadai, melt 2 tablespoons ghee. Combine 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, a pinch of hing, and 5 garlic cloves. Sauté the garlic until it becomes aromatic. Then, add one onion and continue to sauté until golden brown. You can also include ginger paste at this point. On a low temperature, combine ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 2 green chilies, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté over low heat until the spices become aromatic. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates from the mixture.
Add the cooked dal now and stir only slightly. If necessary, add one cup of water to change the consistency. To allow the flavours to seep into the dal, cover and boil for five minutes. Heat two teaspoons of ghee in a different pan, then add a pinch of chilli powder and ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds. Over the dal, pour this tempering. Lastly, thoroughly mix in 1 tablespoon of kasuri methi and 2 teaspoons of chopped coriander. Savour the fragrant and filling dish of lauki chana dal paired with zeera rice.
Lauki Halwa
To prepare delicious dudhi halwa (lauki halwa), begin by heating ¼ cup of ghee in a pan and roasting 5 cashews, 5 almonds, and 2 tablespoons of raisins until they turn golden brown. Set the roasted nuts aside. In the same pan, add grated lauki and sauté for 5 minutes until the lauki shrinks slightly and changes color.
Next, add ½ cup of milk and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes or until the milk thickens and the lauki is completely cooked. Then, add ¾ cup of sugar and mix well, allowing the sugar to melt and boil for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Incorporate khoya into the lauki mixture, stirring continuously until it thickens and forms a cohesive mass. Finally, add the roasted nuts and ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder, mixing well. Transfer the dudhi halwa to a bowl and serve hot or chilled.
Lauki Kofta
Kofta preparation
Peel and grate the lauki first, then press out as much water as possible by adding salt. Add the spices and besan to the mixture, then shape it into kofta balls. Apply corn flour to the koftas and deep fried them until they turn golden brown. After draining, place the fried koftas aside.
Lauki Kofta Preparation
In the next step, heat the oil in a pan and add the bay leaf and cumin seeds. Add the prepared onion-tomato paste, then the turmeric and chilli powder. Make sure to thoroughly sauté the ingredients. Pour in the remaining lauki water and curd after adding the salt and coriander powder. After thorough mixing, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir together the garam masala powder and kasuri methi. Spoon the gravy into a serving bowl and top with the cooked koftas. Finally, top the hot lauki kofta curry on roti and garnish with fresh coriander.
Lauki Sabzi
Heat two teaspoons of oil in a large kadai before beginning to create lauki ki sabji. One bay leaf, one inch piece of cinnamon, one teaspoon of kasuri methi, and one teaspoon of cumin seeds should all be sautéed until fragrant. Add one chopped onion, sauté it until it turns golden brown, then add one teaspoon of ginger garlic paste. Add the ½ teaspoon each of turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder, and salt after that. Reduce heat and sauté until the spices release their aroma.
Add the remaining quarter of the chopped tomatoes and simmer until they are soft and mushy. Sauté the 450 grammes of chopped lauki for two minutes. Add one cup of water and thoroughly stir. Once the lauki is well cooked, cover the kadai and simmer the mixture over medium heat for 20 minutes. If necessary, adjust the consistency by adding additional water. Lastly, thoroughly mix in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander leaves and ¼ teaspoon of garam masala. Savour the lauki ki sabji with rice or chapathi.
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