Lauki or Bottle gourd is a healthy summer vegetable, available perennially. It has many health benefits, but many don't prefer it because of its bland taste. How many times would an elder at home or our mother have tried to feed it to us on the sly 😀? All for a good cause though. Lauki belongs to the cucumber family, and is very light on the tummy. That's one of the reasons it is summers most preferred vegetable.
This vegetable is also called by several other names all over India like Doodhi, Ghiya, Sorakkai, to name a few. This vegetable packs a lot of Vitamins like- Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitanin E, Vitamin K and minerals like - Potassium, Iron and Manganese. Lauki has many electrolytes which makes it the ideal summer vegetable, that replenishes the water lost in sweating. All these advantages make Lauki a wholesome vegetable that fights off infections and helps in detoxification.
Coming to the next element in the recipe which is Urad dal Wadi, which are basically sun dried lentil dumplings. They can be broken to bits and fried, then added to subjis to pack in that extra flavour and crunch. They are also a nice way to add proteins to diet, when you want a break from the usual dal.
In this recipe, I have combined the goodness these both have to offer and what I have is a super delicious curry. I have cooked this in the one pot method, which makes it very easy, and also a work day lunch or dinner option. It can be paired with rice or Rotis and you have amazing lunch/dinner ready in a jiffy. The Wadiyan or the lentil dumplings are just an add on, which can be done away with altogether if you prefer having just Lauki Ki Subji, or can be swapped with Soya chunks. For the fussy Lauki eaters, adding Wadiyan or Soya chunks is a good idea.
Last but not the least, requesting readers to not judge the pictures taken this time. As I finished all prep for the curry, the tube light in my kitchen got fused. Our kitchen doesn't get enough natural light, so I depend on two tube lights for lighting while I click pictures for the blog. With one gone, the light from one was not adequate. Since we are in the midst of the Pandemic, we were unable to step out to buy one immediately, and my husband has created a kind of bio bubble at home😅
While you are here check out other curry and subji recipes like- Corn Palak Subji, Chakki ki Shak, Miloni Babycorn and Bell Peppers curry, Bhindi Aloo, Paneer Khurchan, and more...
Let's get to the recipe right away.
PREP TIME: 15 Mins COOK TIME: 15 Mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 Mins COURSE: MAIN
CUISINE: NORTH INDIAN SERVINGS: 4
AUTHOR: Rajni Ram
Ingredients:
Lauki/Bottle gourd/Sorakai 250 gms skin peeled and, diced finely
Tomatoes 2 large blanched and skin peel and chopped finely
Onion 1 finely chopped
Wadiyan/ sundried lentil dumplings about 5
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 to 2 tsp
Fennel powder 1 tsp
Water 1 cup
Fresh coriander leaves 2 tbsp finely chopped
Garam Masala powder 1/2 tsp
Oil for sauteeing
Directions: Blanch the tomatoes for 10 mins in hot water, cool them, peel the skin and chop finely. Break the Wadiyan to small pieces and keep aside. In a cooker take 1 tbsp oil and heat. Drop the broken Wadiyan into the oil and fry until brown. take care not to burn them. Remove and drain on absorbant paper. Now to the same oil add the cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chopped onions, and ginger garlic paste and saute, until onions turn light brown. Now add the blanched and chopped tomatoes and saute for 30 seconds. Add the diced Bottle gourd/lauki, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, and stir everything together. Now add 1 cup water, stir again, close cooker and cook until 4 to 5 whistles. Allow the pressure to settle. Now open cooker, add the fried Wadiyan, chopped coriander leaves and garam masala powder. The subji is ready to serve. Enjoy with hot rice or Rotis. Bon Appetit.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Blanch the tomatoes for 10 mins in hot water, cool them, peel the skin and chop finely. Break the Wadiyan to small pieces and keep aside. In a cooker take 1 tbsp oil and heat. Drop the broken Wadiyan into the oil and fry until brown. take care not to burn them. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.
2. Now to the same oil add the cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chopped onions, and ginger garlic paste and saute, until onions turn light brown.
3. Now add the blanched and chopped tomatoes and saute for 30 seconds. Add the diced Bottle gourd/lauki, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, and stir everything together. Now add 1 cup water, stir again, close cooker and cook until 4 to 5 whistles. Allow the pressure to settle.
4. Now open cooker, add the fried Wadiyan, chopped coriander leaves and garam masala powder. The subji is ready to serve. Enjoy with hot rice or Rotis. Bon Appetit.
NOTES:
1. The Wadiyan or the lentil dumplings are just an add on, which can be done away with altogether if you prefer having just Lauki Ki Subji, or can be swapped with Soya chunks. For the fussy Lauki eaters, adding Wadiyan or Soya chunks is a good idea.
2. To use Soya chunks instead of Wadiyan, cook the soya chunks as per pack instructions. cool them and rinse a couple of times. Now they can be substuted instead of the Wadiyan at the end(need not be fried). They can be added as whole or mince. Still better is to add the tiny Soya granules.
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