By Shreya Sarpal
May 26, 2026
Kunal Kapur’s Lauki Bharta gives smoky bottle gourd a spicy, homestyle twist with onions, tomatoes, garlic, and green chillies, creating a soft mashed dish that tastes deeply comforting with hot rotis, dal rice meals, or simple everyday lunches.
For Roasting The Lauki 1 medium lauki bottle gourd 1 tablespoon oil 6 to 7 cloves
For The Masala 1 tablespoon mustard oil 1/2 teaspoon hing 1 urad dal vadi broken into pieces 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon chopped ginger 2 tablespoons chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped tomato 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi Salt as needed 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves 1 lemon wedge
Insert cloves into the lauki, rub oil all over it, and roast directly on the flame until fully charred from the outside.
Cover the roasted lauki in a bowl for a few minutes before peeling away the burnt skin and chopping the soft flesh.
Heat mustard oil before adding urad dal vadi, cumin, ginger, hing, onions, and tomatoes, then cook until the masala turns glossy.
Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and chopped lauki before cooking everything together on high heat.
Finish with kasoori methi, coriander leaves, and lemon juice before serving hot with lachha paratha or roti.