Lauki or bottle gourd is often seen as a vegetable that is dispensable. Not particularly anyone’s favourite dish on the plate, nor the one that elicits responses as extreme as the nemesis selected unanimously by people – bitter gourd or Karela, lauki seems like a vegetable which is just... there. But it would make zero difference to anybody’s life or meal or plate if it were not there. If we go on counting the unfortunate chronicles of an average lauki’s life, it would make a fascinating read, but would hardly be of any use. So, how do we make talking about lauki worth it? By sharing amazing recipes, what else?
Before we get down to some amazing bottle gourd recipes you can relish for dinner, let us look at some lesser-known benefits of the nutritious, low-calorie vegetable.
- Lauki juice, if consumed with an empty stomach, can aid weight loss.
- Eating lauki can potentially treat eating disorders.
- Since lauki has a lot of water, it replenishes the water content of the body.
- It is great for warm weather, because lauki has a cooling effect on the stomach.
- Lauki also reduces inflammation of the liver.
Lauki ke kofte is already very famous, but now, let us have a look at 2 interesting desi lauki recipes that will make your meal healthy and tasty at the same time.
Lauki ka kofta is a famous bottle gourd dish | Freepik
One way to add lauki to your dinner is to mix it up with some chana dal. The combination is eaten in states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal. Let us look at the recipe.
Ingredients
- 250gms lauki
- 100gms chana dal
- Salt as required
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp ghee
Method
- Dice your lauki into small pieces.
- Heat a pressure cooker.
- Add rinsed chana dal and dry roast for 4-5 minutes.
- Keep the roasted dal aside and add ghee.
- When the ghee heats up, add cumin seeds.
- After they have spluttered, add diced lauki,
- Add salt and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes.
- Now, add roasted chana dal and cook on medium flame till lauki’s natural water dries up.
- Add a little water, close the pressure cooker and cook till 2 whistles.
Your lauki is ready. Serve with hot steamed rice and dahi.
Paanch phoran lauki
A simple, but flavour-packed dish, paanch phoran lauki is eaten in Assam and West Bengal. With minimum spices, this dish is extremely healthy.
Ingredients
- 300gms lauki
- 1 tbsp Paanch phoron tadka
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Salt as required
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 bay leaf
Method
- Take a deep wok and heat up mustard oil.
- Tear the bay leaf into half and add it.
- Next, add paanch phoron and let it splutter.
- Add your diced lauki, followed by salt and turmeric.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes.
- When the lauki dries up, add the rest of the spices.
- Cover and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes.
- Once the lauki is soft and cooked, add ghee and remove from heat.
- Serve the sabzi with hot chapatis.
These 2 desi lauki dishes will remind you of the simplicity of Indian home-cooked food and drown you in their simple yet mouth-watering flavours. Have them with rice, roti or paratha and enjoy.
