Bottle Gourd Curry-Sabji
Lauki (Dudhi) ki Sabji/Bhaji
Lauki/Dudhi/Doodhi/Ghia, botanical name Lagenaria siceraria, is a North Indian Sweet Gourd, also known as Bottle Gourd, White-flowered gourd and Calabash gourd. It is from Cucurbitaceae or cucumber family and it is light green in colour. It's texture is a bit firmer than the ordinary marrow when raw. Once cooked, it is silky soft.
When fully mature, its fibrous texture is used as Loofah.
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients
- 500 gm. lauki (one medium sized lauki)
- 1 tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds*
- A large pinch of asafoetida or hing (optional but gives a nice flavour)
- 20 gm. or 1 heaped tsp. grated ginger
- A couple of fresh red or green chillies sliced, optional
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala powder (use less if using home made garam masala)
Instructions
- Wash, peel and slice lauki into cubes.
- Heat oil in a wok or karahi.
- Add cumin seeds and hing/ asafoetida powder and let the seeds splutter.
- Add ginger and fry for 15-20 seconds. Do not let it burn.
- Add lauki and all the spices and salt, except garam masala.
- Stir everything together. If the lauki is fresh, you don't need to add water. But if it is not, add a couple of tablespoons of water. Simmer covered, stirring from time to time, until tender. I cook it in a pressure cooker, it is much faster and easier, just add 1/4 cup of water (to make steam and stop the Lauki from sticking to the pan) and cook under full pressure for 3-4 minutes. Open when cool.
- Adjust seasoning.
- Add garam masala powder and mix.
- Serve hot, with fresh Chapatties.
- *This dish can also be cooked with a South Indian style of tempering, with mustard seeds instead of cumin seeds, plus 7-8 curry leaves as the seeds crackle. Experiment with other 'tarka/temprings', like with nigella (kalonji) seeds or even with Pa