Meet Lauki, the Indian superfood that is so under-rated. Have you ever heard of this humble vegetable before? Also called as bottle gourd, it has many names and plenty of health benefits. Packed with nutrients, this traditional North Indian style bottle gourd curry is so easy to put together.
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I am always on the look out for easy week night meals and this one fits the bill perfectly. Even though this is a summer vegetable in India, I make this very often all year round since it is packed with nutrients.
Made with minimal spices and the regular onion tomato gravy base, this recipe is a family favorite. My husband enjoys a bowl of this without any rice or Rotis. I love it that way too.
What is Lauki or bottle gourd?
A very popular summer vegetable in India, this gourd has so many names. In the west, people call it calabash or Opo squash. In India, as with all vegetables, this one has so many names.
It goes by Lauki, Doodhi, Doodhia or Giya in the northern states. In Telugu, they call it as Sorakaya or Anapakaya. Tamil speaking people call it Sorakai or Chorakkai.
The common English name in India is bottle gourd. I am guessing it is because of its long slender shape like that of a bottle.
Benefits of bottle gourd/ Opo squash
- Weight loss- this is a fiber rich vegetable. It helps you feel fuller for a longer time because of its high fiber content, thereby, making it an ideal vegetable for weight loss.
- For acidity- As it is alkaline in nature, bottle gourd is ideal if you are prone to acidity issues.
- Rich in water- Calabash is rich in water. This makes it great when you have an upset stomach, indigestion or urinary infections.
- Low sodium content- Naturally low in sodium, this gourd is just what you need if you have hypertension or high blood cholestrol.
- Ideal when you are sick-because it is very light on the stomach and easy to digest.
How to choose Lauki?
If you are a first timer with this vegetable, here are some tips to help you choose the right kind of bottle gourd.
- Pick gourds that are light or pale green in color. A darker green indicates mature gourds.
- The vegetable should feel light in weight when you lift it.
- When you feel the gourd, it should be firm and not squishy.
- Avoid gourds that feel mushy, squishy or with brown spots on them.
- Go for those that are long and slender as opposed to the ones that are stout and short.
Prepping Doodhi for cooking
Let me admit. I love this vegetable because it is so easy to prep for my usual weeknight meal rotation. We are a small family and need about 1 lb. of this.
In under 15 minutes, my chopping work is done and dusted. Here is how to prep bottle gourd.
- Wash the bottle gourd well. Pat dry.
- Slice the tops off.
- Use a peeler and peel the skin off completely.
- Cut the gourd into two vertical halves. I recommend using a short and sharp paring knife for this.
- At this point, if you spot large seeds in the gourd, scoop them out with a melon baller or a sharp spoon.
- Now, cut each half into two halves vertically again.
- Chop the four long pieces into 1 inch pieces.
- Precut bottle gourd can be stored in the fridge for 2 days. Use a dry sealed container to store this. You may spot some discoloration but this does not affect its edibility.
Expert Tips
- Bitter bottle gourd– some gourds that are very mature tend to be bitter. Always taste a small piece of the gourd before cooking to ensure that it is not bitter.
- While you can peel this vegetable with either a knife or a peeler, I prefer the latter. A peeler does the job neatly with minimal wastage.
- This curry is a bit watery just like Turai Ki Sabzi. Since Lauki naturally has lots of water, we require very little water to cook this. Do not add too much water while cooking.
Shelf life, storage and make-ahead
This curry keeps well in the fridge for 4 days when stored in a clean and covered air tight container.
Freeze leftovers in 1 cup portions. I recommend freezing in freezer safe silicon bags. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour. Reheat gently by transferring to a sauce pan.
Never refreeze thawed food. This is a big health risk.
Variations
- Satvic ( No onion & garlic)- Skip the onions and garlic in this recipe. Use only the tomatoes and ginger along with the other spices and churn out a delicious Satvik version of this recipe.
- Add some lemon juice at the end for a refreshing tangy flavor and taste.
- Use green chilis and skip the red chili powder. The heat from the green chilis give a different taste and flavor altogether.
- Garam Masala is a great spice blend to add to this recipe. While I have not used it, you can use 3/4 tsp of this as well.
- Use this recipe as a base recipe and try other squash or gourd instead of bottle gourd.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe can be made on the stove top using a regular pressure cooker or in the Instant pot.
- The Instant Pot version is my choice because I cook rice along with the curry using the Pot in Pot method. So it becomes an easy one pot meal for us.
- While this curry is traditionally made with ghee, I have used oil. Feel free to use ghee. The taste is remarkably good.
- When cooking this vegetable in an open pan, we do not need much water since Doodhi releases a lot of water and this itself is sufficient to help cook them. However, it is very unsafe to cook without enough liquid in a pressure cooker or the Instant Pot. Which is why we will use 1 cup water for this version.
- It is important to use the water mentioned in this recipe to prevent the BURN Signal from popping up, while cooking it in the Instant Pot.
- You can find instructions for both Instant Pot and regular stovetop pressure cooker methods in the METHOD section.
Serving suggestions
One of the biggest reasons why this recipe is a keeper is because you can eat it with rice or any flatbread of your choice.
You can serve this with some Jeera rice or just plain rice. Or mop up this flavorsome curry with some Chapatis or Lachcha Parathas or Phulkas.
Method
Prep work
Chop the gourd and set aside. Finish chopping the remaining veggies and assemble all the ingredients.
Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot. Plug in, press SAUTE MODE on NORMAL and set the timer to 8 minutes.
Steps 1 and 2
When the display reads HOT, add the oil. After 1 minute, tip in the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
Now, add the onions and ginger and garlic paste.
Steps 3 and 4
Mix well and saute till the onions are pink and soft.
Immediately tip in the red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
Stir to combine and cook this mixture for 30 seconds.
Steps 5 and 6
Add the chopped tomatoes next and stir to combine. Continue to cook till the tomatoes are mushy.
Steps 7 and 8
When done, add the chopped Lauki pieces.
Steps 9 and 10
Toss them well to combine. Pour in 1 cup water and stir to deglaze the pot.
PRESS CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant pot lid. Close the Instant Pot. Turn the VALVE to SEALING.
Now, press PRESSURE COOK-HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 5 Minutes. Wait for the cooking cycle to complete.
Steps 11 and 12
Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally. It can take between 20 to 25 minutes for natural pressure release.
Open the lid when the pressure releases fully. Gently mash the bottle gourd with the help of a ladle, if you prefer.
Finish with a generous amount of finely chopped coriander leaves.
Pressure cooker bottle gourd sabzi
Heat a deep, heavy bottomed pressure cooker or pan with 1 tbsp oil. Add the cumin seeds and when they crackle, tip in the ginger garlic paste and onions.
Saute till the onions are soft and pink. Now, add the spice powder and mix well. Cook on low heat for 30 seconds.
Tip in the finely chopped tomatoes, combine and cook till tomatoes are fully mushy.
Add the chopped bottle gourd pieces next and stir to combine. Add 3/4 cup water and mix well to scrape off any spices stuck to the sides and bottom of the cooker.
Close the cooker with the lid. Put the weight on and cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.
Wait for the pressure to release naturally. When done, open the lid, mash the Lauki pieces gently with a ladle.
Finish with chopped coriander leaves.
If you like simple everyday curries that are ideal for the weeknight rotation, then do check out these recipes too.
Lauki Sabzi
Equipment
- 1 six quart Instant Pot
- 1 ladle
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
- 1 knife
- 1 chopping board
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp peanut oil or ghee (refer recipe notes)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- Salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp ground coriander
- 1.25 tsp red chili powder
- 3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 1.5 pounds Bottle gourd peeled and chopped
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
Prep work
- Chop the gourd and set aside. Finish chopping the remaining veggies and assemble all the ingredients.
Instant Pot Bottle Gourd Curry
- Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot. Plug in, press SAUTE MODE on NORMAL and set the timer to 8 minutes.
- When the display reads HOT, add the oil. After 1 minute, tip in the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
- Now, add the onions and ginger and garlic paste. Mix well and saute till the onions are pink and soft.
- Immediately tip in the red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Stir to combine and cook this mixture for 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped tomatoes next and stir to combine. Continue to cook till the tomatoes are mushy.
- When done, add the chopped Lauki pieces and toss them well to combine. Pour in 1 cup water and stir to deglaze the pot.
- PRESS CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant pot lid. Close the Instant Pot. Turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Now, press PRESSURE COOK-HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 5 Minutes. Wait for the cooking cycle to complete. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally.
- It can take between 20 to 25 minutes for natural pressure release. Open the lid when the pressure releases fully.
- Gently mash the bottle gourd with the help of a ladle, if you prefer. Finish with a generous amount of finely chopped coriander leaves.
Video
Notes
- This recipe can be made on the stove top using a regular pressure cooker or in the Instant pot.
- The Instant Pot version is my choice because I cook rice along with the curry using the Pot in Pot method. So it becomes an easy one pot meal for us.
- While this curry is traditionally made with ghee, I have used oil. Feel free to use ghee. The taste is remarkably good.
- When cooking this vegetable in an open pan, we do not need much water since Doodhi releases a lot of water and this itself is sufficient to help cook them. However, it is very unsafe to cook without enough liquid in a pressure cooker or the Instant Pot. Which is why we will use 1 cup water for this version.
- It is important to use the water mentioned in this recipe to prevent the BURN Signal from popping up, while cooking it in the Instant Pot.
- You can find instructions for both Instant Pot and regular stovetop pressure cooker methods in the METHOD section. Refer blog post.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
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