Bottle gourd or Dudhi, Lauki, Surakkai (Tamil) as it is popularly known as in various parts of India is one humble vegetable with a refreshing look and cooling properties to satisfy the needs of our dietary requirements. It is one vegetable which is able to be adapted in various forms from a fresh juice as a healthy beverage to snacky dishes, into subtle main course dishes to the exotics as well, blends well with spices, flours, pulses and legumes and sweeteners as well to offer us a varied choice of delicacies on our plates.
Some of the Culinary Uses of Bottlegourd/ Dudhi:
- A lot of us have had it in a fresh extracted juice form as well which is very healthy for weight management.
- Dudhi ki subzi with a mild tempering of hing, jeera, curry leaves, turmeric, salt and a generous amount of coriander leaves and a little aamchur powder at the end is yum.
- Lauki ke kofte is a classic recipe from north India and has been done since a long time from the royal kitchen era.
- Dudhi chana dal is one of the commonly made daily veg and dal combo which goes well with a tadka of shahi jeera and mild spices to be enjoyed with phulkas/rice.
- Bottlegourd is also good at being stir fried with bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, peas and mushrooms as well.
- Lauki tamatar nu shaak a popular recipe with it being cooked in mildly spiced tomato based masala with a touch of jaggery and chili.
- Dudhi ke Parathey, chillas with grated Lauki and sooji, stuffing’s for tikkis and cutlet mixtures with Dudhi.
- A popular sweet with called Lauki ki kheer, Lauki ka mavedaar halwa etc are also some of the exotic and very tempting recipes from Indian cuisine.
- Fusion cooking too is delicious using Lauki and Dudhi some of the ideas I tried are basil flavored bottle gourd and nutty cream cheese ravioli pasta served with a sun dried tomato and roast pepper sauce.
- Indo-Chinese Lauki Manchurian gravy with vermicelli fried rice topped with double fried schezuan egg.
- Bottle gourd brownie pudding with blueberry salsa and praline cream.
Here are a few easy and tasty recipes with bottle gourd:
SHORBA –E- LAZZAT
Ingredients
Dudhi- 500gms, peeled and roughly cut.
Oil/butter/ghee- 1 tbsp.
Jeera-1/2 tsp
Slit green chilies- 2 no
Ginger- 1 tsp chop
Onion- 2 tbsp. chop
Salt to taste
Veg stock/water- 4-5 cups
Curd + besan-1 tsp + 1 tbsp. cashew paste- ¼ cup curd.
Fresh cream- 2 tbsp.
Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
Mint/coriander/parsley/nuts and seeds to garnish.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the shorba
- Heat oil/ghee/butter in a pan add the ingredients for tempering one by one and saute well.
- Add in the Lauki, salt and spices to taste.
- Add in the curd, besan and cashew paste mix, add water as desired, bring to a boil.
- Cook well, simmer and continue for 10-12 mins
- Blend the soup into a nice puree, bring it back to a boil add cream, check for seasonings and serve hot.
LAUKI AUR DAL KI JUGALBANDI
Ingredients
Lauki- 500gms peeled and cubed.
Chana dal- ¼ cup
Yellow moong dal-2 tbsp.
Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.
Shahi jeera/ jeera seeds- ½ tsp
Slit green chilies- 2 no
Ginger garlic- 1 tsp each chop
Onions- 1 small chop
Salt to taste
Tomatoes- ½ cup chop
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder- 1/3 tsp
Coriander powder- ½ tsp
Water as needed
Kasuri methi- 1 tsp
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. garnish.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Soak the dals in water for 30 mins.
- Heat oil/ghee add in the jeera, chilies, ginger garlic and onions, tomatoes saute well for a minute.
- Add in the drained dals, Lauki, salt, spices, methi and water.
- Using a pressure cooker allow 3-4 whistles and lower the flame for 10 mins.
- Open and blend it using a masher and garnish with coriander leaves, serve hot with rotis, rice, pulao.
ZAIKEDAAR TADKEWALI LAUKI
Ingredients
Lauki- 500gms peeled and cut into cubes.
Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.
Hing-1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
Curry leaves- 10-12
Slit red and green chilies- 2 no.
Onion- 1 small chopped
Salt to taste
Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala powder- ½ tsp
Curd- 2 tbsp.
Cumin powder- 1/3 tsp
Curry powder- 1 tsp- optional
Coconut- fresh grated- 2 tbsp.
Tamarind pulp-2 tsp
Jaggery-1 tsp
Water as needed.
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp.
Fried red chili- 2 no for garnish.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Heat oil/ghee add in the tempering ingredients one by one add in the onions and saute them, add in the powdered spices, add ½ cup chop tomatoes- optional.
- Add little water, coriander leaves, coconut, Lauki pieces and mix well, add in the tamarind and jaggery and curd and blend it well.
- Cover and simmer for 12- 15 mins, open and serve hot with chapattis, missi roti, parathas.
BOTTLE GOURD AND SESAME RAITA
In
gredients
Dudhi- 400 gms, peeled and grated and steamed for 10 mins
Curd- 2 cups beaten and sweet.
Salt and pepper to taste
Mint leaves- 10-12 no
Roasted white sesame seeds- 1 and half tsp.
Sliced almonds, raisins etc if needed.
Chop dates- 2 tbsp.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Combine together the curd, seasonings and Dudhi, add chaat masala/rock salt, dates and other ingredients like mint, coriander etc and mix well with the Dudhi and dates into this raita.
- Portion the raita when its chilled garnish with mint/coriander/nuts and seeds and some healthy sesame seeds and serve with choice of rice preparations, pulao and biryanis.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on Colors Television and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
