Lauki Sabzi (Dudhi Recipe)

Lauki Sabzi is a simple Indian side dish of bottle gourd cooked with onions, tomatoes and minimal spices. It is a traditional and basic dish you can cook easily when you want something comforting and healthy. Lauki Sabzi can be eaten with plain steamed rice, roti, chapati and bhakri (multigrain flatbreads). If you prefer to extend your menu, try out this Dal fry.

Lauki is the Hindi name for the vegetable opo squash. The cylindrical shaped (longer variety) are known by other names such as bottle gourd and long melon, while the round varieties are known as calabash. It is neither a squash nor a melon but is a gourd & is used in cooking.

In Indian cuisine, lauki is used to make various dishes like curry, stir fry, stew, dal, chutney, raita, sambar, kheer and sometimes also added to kofta, thepla and paratha dough.

This Lauki Sabzi is the simplest you can make and unlike other Indian dishes it is cooked with lesser oil and minimal spices. It is a comforting dish and is a perfect one when you want to eat something light or want a break from all those spicy and oil-laden foods.

I also use this Bharwa Baingan recipe to make bharwa lauki. But I reserve that for occasions when I have plenty of time and want to eat something different.

How to choose Lauki

Here is a little guide on how to choose lauki from the stores or market. Look for the smallest sized lauki that is also pale green in color with a thinner smooth skin. This kind of lauki have minimum or no seeds inside. It should be heavy which indicates its freshness.

Often lauki with darker skin (dark green skin) indicates tougher skin which requires peeling deeper. This kind may also have larger seeds, which you may need to discard while chopping.

More bottle gourd recipes,
Lauki Halwa
Lauki Paratha
Sorakaya Pachadi
Bottle Gourd Curry

How to Make Lauki Sabzi (Stepwise Photos)

This recipe makes 2 to 3 servings. If you want to cook more, increase all the ingredients proportionately.

Preparation

1. Prepare the following ingredients: If you have a chopper or dicer, use that to save time.

• 1 lb (450 to 500 grams, 3 cups) lauki (chopped to ½ to ¾ inch pieces)
• ½ cup (1 medium) onion (fine chopped)
• 1 cup (1 large) tomato (chopped, deseeded if preferred)
• ½ inch (1 teaspoon) ginger or garlic (peeled and fine chopped)
• 1 green chili (slit, leave out for kids)
• 1 sprig curry leaves (optional, pat dry rinsed leaves)

2. If you want you may chop the lauki to larger pieces but that increases the cook time slightly.

3. Pour 2 tablespoons oil to a hot pan. Add half teaspoon cumin seeds. When they begin to sizzle, add the curry leaves (pat dry first).

4. Add the onions, ginger/garlic and green chili.

5. Saute until transparent on a medium heat.

6. Add tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix and cook on a medium heat until soft and mushy.

7. Stir in the following ground spices:

• ½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri Chili powder (reduce for kids)
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon coriander powder (optional, I don’t add)

8. Mix and saute for a minute.

9. Add the chopped lauki and ¼ teaspoon salt.

10. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes on a high heat.

11. Pour ½ cup water and mix well. When the water comes to a boil, reduce to medium and cover. Let cook until tender, adding more water only as required. I used ⅔ cup water in total but that change depending on your gourd.

12. When the lauki is soft and tender, taste test and add salt as required. If there is a lot of water in the pan, evaporate by cooking on a high heat for 2 to 3 mins. Add ½ teaspoon garam masala and ½ teaspoon teaspoon fennel powder (saunf powder). Turn off and keep covered for 5 mins before serving.

Garnish Lauki sabzi with 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice, roti or bhakri.

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