Bottle gourd, also known as calabash in many English-speaking parts of the world, is known by different names across India - anapakaya in Telugu, lauki, ghiya or doodhi in Hindi, and sorakaya or sorakkai in Tamil.
What can be made from bottle gourd? Indian cooking has an extensive repertoire of recipes with this humble vegetable - curries, stews, stir fry, smoothies, juices, and even desserts!
In North India preparations such as lauki ki sabji, lauki kofta curry, and lauki chana dal are household favorites. In other parts of the country, sorakaya kootu, and bottle gourd curry are lunchtime regulars.
This bottle gourd recipe is free of
Gluten Grains Alliums Nuts Soy Dairy and is vegan.
Ingredients
This recipe requires just a few simple ingredients and is ready in under 20 minutes. Honestly, recipes cannot get easier than this and be so delicious and healthy!
See the recipe card for quantities.
Bottle gourd: Available, most commonly, in two shapes - long or round and with pale green or dark green (with white spots) skin.
Ginger: I use fresh root ginger, with its skin (more fiber!)
Spices: These spices add their goodness and impart flavor to this dish.
Cumin seeds - We all know this one, don’t we?! Mustard seeds - Black, brown, or yellow. The yellow ones are milder than the other two. White lentils (urad dal in Hindi) - These lentils add a lovely, nutty flavor to the dish. Asafetida - powdered. Curry leaves - You may use fresh leaves (available in most Indian grocery stores) or dried (available in most health and wellness stores). Turmeric - I use just a pinch of turmeric in this recipe - to bring that hint of yellow to the dish.
Instructions
Making this recipe is as easy as 1-2-3! STEP 1: Let’s do some prep work
Peel and chop the gourd into bite-sized pieces.
Grate, mince, or coarsely pound the ginger.
Measure the rest of the ingredients and keep them ready.
STEP 2: In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the salt, turmeric, and chopped gourd. Cover and cook till the vegetable is cooked soft, but not mushy. This step should take 5-7 minutes. Drain the water completely and keep it aside. Tip: Do not discard the water! Add it to your soup, or just drink it up - it tastes delicious! STEP 3: Now let us prepare the tempering. In Indian cooking, tempering is the traditional way of adding flavor to a dish and is done either at the beginning of the cooking process or added at the end after the dish is complete.
Heat oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the white lentils. When the lentils start turning brown, add cumin and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add asafetida and curry leaves.
To these tempered spices, add the cooked bottle gourd. Mix gently so that the spices coat the vegetable. Fry for a minute or two. Turn off the heat. Add the ginger. Mix and serve. Easy, right?! Enjoy it as a meal on its own or have it as a side dish with your main meal. Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter for recipes, ideas, and more! Follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Tips, notes, and substitutions
The gourd: Choose ones that are tender, firm, and with pale green skin. The seeds in such gourds are soft (much like those in zucchini and cucumber) and edible. Chopping: Chop the calabash into bite-sized pieces. Cook them soft, but not mushy. Overcooked, mushy bottle gourd will ruin the texture of this dish. Don’t have bottle gourd? Use ridge gourd, chayote squash, or zucchini instead. Asafetida - Powdered asafetida which is most commonly found in shops has gluten (plain flour) in it. There are some brands that make it gluten-free - look for those. Mum’s top tip: You will note that I have added the grated ginger towards the end of the cooking. Adding ginger after most of the cooking is finished will enhance the aroma and gives the dish a sharp, fresh flavor.
Why I love this recipe and you will too!
This dish has a special place in my heart for more reasons than one:
- It is a family favorite that has been handed down over generations - it will become your family favorite too 😊.
- It is so easy to make!
- The earthy aroma of ginger and the nuttiness of white lentils goes so well with the juicy mildness of the gourd…yum!
- Have this nourishing dish on its own as a light meal or pair it with some jeera rice or gluten-free naan to make a delicious gluten-free meal. This simple, unassuming dish never fails to bring a smile to my face 🙂
Why your toddler will love this simple dish
As a child, I remember this dish being made on repeat. My mum tells me that as a baby,
I used to love having this as finger food. Fast forward many years to me being a mum and making this on repeat for my girls!
Bottle gourd is one of those safe vegetables you can serve your child from 10 months old - add it to soup, pasta sauce, or make pancakes with it.
This recipe, with whole spices and ginger, is a good way of introducing textures and independent eating to your child from the age of 12 months.
These are the reasons why your toddler will love this recipe:
The bite-sized pieces are easy to handle.
The dish is mildly spiced.
The gourd is soft cooked and yet there is enough texture to challenge your baby.
The ginger, lentils, and other spices make this dish flavorful and good for the gut.
More vegetable recipes
If you have made this easy bottle gourd recipe, please take a moment to leave a comment and a rating below. This will make me super happy and motivate me to create more good content for you! Engage with me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram xx Padma
📖 Recipe
Disclosure: The nutritional information is calculated using an online calculator and is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionists’ advice. Changing the quantities and cooking technique will alter the nutritional calculations.
