Mama’s Lauki Subzi (Simple Bottle Gourd Dish)

This is an everyday dish made mostly at home. Simple, yet delicious! Bottle Gourd is a light vegetable, easy to make and easy on the stomach. It is low in calories and fat and with the water-content being so high, it’s perfect for toddlers and people under the weather.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd (Ghia, Doodhi, Lauki, Opo Squash) – 2 lbs (approx 1/2 kg), peeled and cubed
Onion – ½ small, sliced
Green Chilies – to taste, chopped
Tomatoes – 1, medium, cubed
Ginger – 1 tbsp, minced
Cilantro – 12-15 sprigs, finely chopped
Oil – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Water – ¼ cup
Salt – to taste
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Cumin Powder – ½ tsp

Method:

1. Peel and cube the Bottle Gourd.
2. Prep all the ingredients ahead.
3. In a pressure cooker, heat Oil on medium heat.
4. Add in the Ginger and stir for 30 sec.
5. Add in the Turmeric Powder and mix in.
6. Add in the Onions, mix and allow them to turn translucent. Mix frequently.
7. Add in the Green Chilies, Bottle Gourd, Water and Salt. Mix.
8. Cover and close the Pressure Cooker and allow it to whistle once.
9. Turn off the flame and allow the pressure to release by itself.
10. Open and stir and turn the stove on medium heat again.
11. Add in the Tomatoes, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder and 1/2 the Cilantro.
12. Allow the liquid to reduce and the tomatoes to soften, approx. 5-7 min.
13. Depending on your personal preference, mash down the cubes with a potato masher or the back-side of the ladle.
14. Cook till it reaches the desired consistency of thickness.
15. Check the Salt and spices and adjust if needed.
16. Serve hot with Chapatis with balance of the Cilantro as garnish.

Tip:
1. Add little salt before pressure cooking as Bottle Gourd reduces. It can always be adjusted later.
2. Great dish for Toddlers – tone down spices and mash down further or blend if necessary. Serve with rice or soak chapatis in gravy.
3. Don’t own a Pressure Cooker? No worries – this dish can easily be made in a pan. Follow the same process.

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0 thoughts on “Mama’s Lauki Subzi (Simple Bottle Gourd Dish)

  1. Great recepie ladies! I also tried the other one with milk…that turned out awesome as well!
    I was tired of making lauki with moong dal.

    Please try my mom’s recepie. I am sure you will love it. Cut the lauki into smaller cubes. In a blender grind together dry coconut (1/2 cup), garlic cloves 3-4, jeera 1tsp. Heat oil in a cooker, once hot aad lauki pieces, stir and add the ground mixture salt to taste and little water. Pressure cook for 1 wishtle and subzi is ready!

  2. Αn intriguіng disсuѕsion is dеfіnіtelу wοrth comment.
    I do think that you neеd to publish more about thіs toріc, it may not be a tаboо subjeсt but
    usually people don’t talk about these topics. To the next! Kind regards!!

  3. Hi I used to make lauki sabzi with china dal and I somehow never liked the taste. I used to eat it because it is good for health. I tried this version and absolutely loved it including my husband. Next time I will try adding panchpuran as a seasoning. Thanks H & A.

    1. Hi R,

      Yes, we also have a version with milk that we posted some time back. Its a little different than this one, but its really good, too!

  4. Made this today with drumstick sambar:) it was really delicious. i added a pinch of red chilli powder too. i always thought this was a boring vegetable, after this recipe, its going to be one of my regulars:) Thanks Hetal and Anuja

  5. My mama’s recipe: In a lil oil, add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds, then, add tomatoes, green chilis, turmeric, salt and lauki. Cover and cook on medium heat. No water required. Granish with cilantro. It’s yummy.

  6. Hi girls!

    I just wanted to mention that when you say a medium/small onion, it’s actually a LARGE one from where I come from! The same case for tomatoes, etc.

    1. Hi delighted,

      Yes, that is almost always the case with vegetables. The problem with giving the weight is that not many people have a scale at home to measure and most people buy vegetables in bulk, not individually. Lucky we have a video so you can see how big or small the onion or tomato is 🙂

  7. I guess you forgot to add salt to the sabzi. Anyway, is it better to add it after the pressure cooking, or before?

  8. Thank you ladies, I wasn’t expecting this! The finished product looks good but does it taste of much? My mum would stick khia in channa dhal but tbh I’ve always found it to be a bit non-descript. I’d be interested to know whether your kids actually eat it?

    I’ll try the recipe provided I can find a small khia like yours – otherwise I’ll be eating it for days! (I’m guessing that the cooked sabzi doesn’t freeze that well?).

    M

    1. Hi Milady,

      The taste is surprisingly good. My kids don’t like the texture of any squash because it is so squashy but they will eat it if I cut it into smaller pieces. You are right, watery vegetables do not freeze well.

  9. Hi ladies!
    Lovely recipe, I made this today because I had squash and OMG it was simply amazing! Thanks mama!
    P.S: The kitchen is beautiful!

    1. Hi Rob,
      I always use zucchini to make my lauki sabzi, it tastes the SAME, more easily available and takes much less time to cook. No need to use the pressure cooker, covered pan works just fine.

  10. Wonderful recipe!!
    A question about the pressure cooker- I love this design, can you please tell me the brand and where did you get it from. Also, how many liters is it?
    Thanks.

    1. Hi Swati,

      This type of pressure cooker is called a pressure pan. This particular one is a Vinod brand from India (5 ltr). Premier makes good ones also you can find online.

  11. I love this vegetable alot. I make this with only tomatoes and green chillies. But I am sure this will be yum too!
    Nice kitchen. Now whose kitchen is this?

    Dimpi

  12. I love all your recipes!!
    But you girls are posting recipes after many days. Please try to post recipes often. I keep visiting your site daily but feel disappointing when there is no new recipe.
    Thanks.

  13. hi
    Firstly thanks for another amazing recipe 🙂 and also I was just wondering if you guys had anymore again recipec? and can you use it just like normal meat?

    Thanks you guys so much, again, for the great recipes

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