Lauki ki Sabji, also known as Bottle Gourd Curry, is a popular and nutritious Indian vegetable dish. This dish is easy to prepare and can be customized to your liking by adding other vegetables or spices.
Table of contents
Lauki Ki Sabji
Lauki ki sabji is a simple and flavorful Indian dish made with bottle gourd, also known as calabash or opo squash. This vegetable is low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy addition to any diet.
Lauki is quite similar to zucchini, except it is firm from the outside. It is a versatile vegetable, that can be used in sweet to savory dishes.
Lauki is used in many ways in Indian cooking. My favorite is Lauki Ke Kofte and lauki ka halwa. I use lauki to make raita (yogurt dip), dosa (Indian savory crepes), lauki dal (lentils), Udupi sambar, Lauki Paratha (flatbread), and Lauki ki Kheer, and many more dishes. In summer, I like to make fresh lauki ka juice. It's delicious! I love it! It's healthy and tastes great.
In Hindi, Lauki ki sabji is known as tamatar wali lauki. Tamatar in Hindi means tomatoes. This is a simple curry, made with lauki and tomatoes, and basic Indian spices. It is a simple and comforting dish full of flavors and blend of spices and seasonings.
This flavorful and versatile curry is made using lauki, which is a type of long, green gourd with a mild taste and a high water content. Quick and easy, this curry makes an excellent weeknight dinner. Enjoy this flavorful curry with some roti, khichdi, or rice.
Health Benefits
Bottle gourd, the main ingredient in lauki ki sabji, is a nutritious vegetable that offers several health benefits. Here are some of the health benefits of bottle gourd:
- Low in calories: Bottle gourd is low in calories and high in fiber, making it an ideal food for weight loss.
- Rich in nutrients: Bottle gourd is rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin B, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
- Hydration: Lauki has a high water content, which helps keep the body hydrated and supports overall health and well-being.
- Detoxification: Lauki has diuretic properties that help flush out toxins from the body, promoting detoxification and maintaining a healthy urinary system.
Ingredients for Lauki Ki Sabji
To make lauki recipe, you will need:
- Lauki (Bottle gourd): The main vegetable ingredient, peeled and chopped into cubes.
- Cooking oil or ghee: Used for sautéing and enhancing flavor.
- Cumin seeds: Adds a nutty and aromatic taste to the dish.
- Ginger: Crushed or minced for flavor.
- Green chilies: Chopped or slit for heat and spiciness.
- Tomatoes: Chopped tomatoes add tanginess and balance the flavors.
- Spices: Commonly used spices include turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and garam masala.
- Salt: To taste.
- Water: Used for cooking and adjusting the consistency of the curry.
- Fresh coriander leaves: Chopped and used as a garnish for freshness.
Note: You can adjust the amount of spices and chilies as per your taste preference. You can add other vegetables like potatoes, or peas to the dish.
Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the dish
Stovetop Lauki ki Sabji
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to prepare lauki ki sabji:
- Peel lauki and dice it into ½-inch cubes. Set it aside.
- In a Kadai or a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and asafetida. Let the seeds crackle. Add tomatoes, green chili, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder (optional). Mix well. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 3-4 minutes or the tomatoes are softened.
- Add lauki, and salt to taste, and mix well. Cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add water and deglaze the pot. Bring the curry to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes or the lauki is soft.
- Check the consistency of the gravy. For the semi-dry curry, cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes or to the desired consistency. Note: If you prefer more gravy, simply add some more water, and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Once the bottle gourd is cooked, turn off the heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Your lauki ki sabzi is now ready to be served with rice or roti.
Note: If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can add a tablespoon of besan (gram flour) to the pan after adding the spices and cook it for a minute before adding the bottle gourd.
Instant Pot Lauki ki Sabzi
Here's a recipe for making lauki ki sabzi in an Instant Pot:
- Turn on the Instant Pot and select the sauté function. Add oil to the pot and let it heat up.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add tomatoes, green chili, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder (optional). Mix well.
- Add lauki, and salt to taste, and mix well. Add water and deglaze the pot.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot and select the manual/pressure cook function. Set the timer for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Check the consistency of the gravy. For the semi-dry curry, cook on sauté (more) for 2-3 minutes or to the desired consistency. Note: If you prefer more gravy, simply add some more water, and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves (if using).
- Your Instant Pot lauki ki sabzi is now ready to be served with rice or roti.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Lauki ki Sabji
For Stovetop Pressure Cooker, follow the recipe as Instant Pot. Add lauki, close the pressure cooker and cook on high heat. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Turn OFF the heat and allow natural pressure release. Follow the rest of the recipe as Instant Pot.
Tips & Variations
- Choose fresh and tender lauki: Look for bottle gourds that are firm, with smooth skin and no soft spots. Fresh and tender lauki will have better taste and texture. Dice the lauki into ½-inch cubes. If you chop them any smaller, they might turn too soft after pressure cooking.
- Use fresh, red ripe tomatoes: Tomatoes add flavor to this simple dish. You can chop or puree the tomatoes and use them in the curry. Both work fine.
- Adjust the cooking time: Lauki sabzi recipe cooks relatively quickly, so be mindful not to overcook it. It should be tender but still retain some firmness.
- Adjust the consistency: For the semi-dry curry, cook the curry for a few minutes or to the desired consistency. For more gravy, simply add some more water, and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add other vegetables: You can add other vegetables like potatoes, onions, garlic, or peas to the dish to make it more flavorful and nutritious.
- Add protein: You can add protein to the dish by adding boiled chickpeas, tofu, or paneer (Indian cottage cheese) to the dish.
- Make it creamy: To make the dish creamier, you can add a tablespoon of cream or coconut milk to the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lauki sabzi recipe is commonly referred to as Bottle Gourd Curry or Bottle Gourd Stir-fry in English.
In Hindi, "ghiya" and "lauki" are both commonly used names for bottle gourd. The term "ghiya" is more commonly used in North India, while "lauki" is used in other parts of India. In English, it is generally referred to as "bottle gourd" or "calabash gourd."
In the United States, lauki is commonly known as "bottle gourd" or "calabash gourd." These names are used to refer to the same vegetable, which is a long and cylindrical-shaped gourd with light green skin.
Yes, lauki sabzi recipe (Bottle Gourd Curry) is good for health. It is low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with essential nutrients, making it a nutritious choice for maintaining a healthy diet.
The same recipe works well with zucchini. Zucchini cooks faster than the lauki. Replace lauki with zucchini and follow the recipe. Pressure cook zucchini for 1-2 minutes, with a quick pressure release
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Lauki ki sabzi: A versatile and easy-to-make dish
Equipment
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR LAUKI KI SABJI
- 1 medium lauki (bottle gourd), about 3 cups, diced into ½ inch cubes
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- ½ inch ginger, grated
- 1-2 green chili, chopped; adjust to taste
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil
- pinch of asafetida
- salt to taste
- A handful of fresh cilantro
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice; adjust to taste
Instructions
PREP FOR LAUKI KI SABJI
- Peel lauki and dice it into ½ inch cubes. Set it aside.Note: Sometimes lauki has lots of seeds. You can discard some of the seeds. I leave the tender seeds in the lauki. They are perfectly ok to eat.
- Chop tomatoes, green chili, and ginger.
Instant Pot Lauki ki Sabji
- Turn ON SAUTE (more). When the screen displays “HOT”. Add cumin seeds, and asafetida, and let the seeds crackle.
- Add tomatoes, green chili, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder (optional). Mix well.
- Add lauki, salt to taste, and mix well. Add water and deglaze the pot. Close the lid, and vent on sealing.
- Turn ON PRESSURE COOK (high) for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, manually release the remaining pressure and open the lid.
- Check the consistency of the gravy. For the semi-dry curry, cook on SAUTE (more) for 2-3 minutes or to the desired consistency.Note: If you prefer more gravy, simply add some more water, and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Turn OFF the SAUTE. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot with some roti, or rice.
Stovetop Lauki ki Sabji
- In a Kadai or a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and asafetida. Let the seeds crackle. Add tomatoes, green chili, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder (optional). Mix well. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened.
- Add lauki, salt to taste, and mix well. Cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add water and deglaze the pot. Bring the curry to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the lauki is soft.
- Check the consistency of the gravy. For the semi-dry curry, cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes or to the desired consistency.Note: If you prefer more gravy, simply add some more water, and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Turn OFF the heat. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot with some roti, or rice.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Lauki ki Sabji
- For Stovetop Pressure Cooker, follow the recipe in Instant Pot. Add lauki, close the pressure cooker, and cook on high heat. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Turn OFF the heat and allow natural pressure release. Follow the rest of the recipe as Instant Pot.
Notes
- Tips For Delicious Lauki Ki Sabji
- Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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