Lauki (Bottlegourd) Curry | लौकी (घीये) की सब्जी

Lauki/Ghiya (Hindi/Urdu) , Sorakkai (Tamil) , Dudhi / Doodhi (Marathi)  is believed to have come from Africa , has procured a very high position in  the Indian kitchens but  has not made a very remarkable place in the western household.

Bottle gourds as they are called in the Western world is not liked by many people especially children due to a very different and bland taste .

Packed with a lot of nutrition and various health benefits ,bottle gourd is gaining popularity.

Some of the health benefits of Bottle gourd that I have read in various health books are summarised below.

• It helps fight constipation, as it is fiber rich. Because of its fiber and low fat content, Ayurveda highly recommends this food for diabetic patients and young children.

• Ayurveda also recommends the juice of this gourd in the treatment of acidity, indigestion and ulcers .

• Bottle gourd is also considered one of the best weight loss foods since it is 96 percent water and has a very low calorie content.

• It is rich in, thiamin, vitamin C, zinc, iron and magnesium  which helps improving overall health.

 Lauki sabji is perfect for weight watchers and those looking for a wholesome and healthy meal because there is just a tsp of oil used and usual basic spices of red chilli powder ,dhaniya jeera powder and turmeric. 

Doodhi is easy to digest and very comfortable on the stomach too making it the perfect choice for someone who is recovering from any sort of illness .  Bottlegourd doesn't has very low calorie content and 96% water content because of which it gets cooked easily . You can simply steam the bottle gourd cubes and enjoy it with pepper and salt as a salad.

I love to have lauki sabji with hot fulkas and some salad . If you are a rice eater you can even mix this with rice and enjoy .

When Lauki is available in season ,I make the maximum use of it in my recipes ..of course lauki ka halwa is also made but the most frequent and healthy recipes which I make are 

• Lauki ka paratha 

• Doodhi Channa nu Shaak (Gujarati special)

• Baafela Doodhi Muthiya (Gujarati special)

Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 20-30 mins

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients

1 medium sized bottle gourd / dudhi - chopped into small cubes

2 tomatoes chopped

1 medium sized onion chopped (optional)

1/4 cup green peas

1 tsp cumin /jeera

2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp dhania/coriander powder

1tsp cumin/jeera powder

1 tsp ginger grated / finely chopped

pinch of turmeric

salt as required 

freshly chopped coriander /cilantro

Method

• In a skillet /kadai ,heat a tsp of oil and splutter the jeera/cumin.
• Add the onions and ginger and saute well until the onion turns pink.
• Put in the tomatoes,saute until tender and to it add the chopped dhudhi and the green peas.
• Throw in the chilli powder,salt,turmeric,dhania powder and mix well.
• Add about 11/4 cups of water and cook well until the dudhi is cooked well.
• Adjust the salt and spice level and garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.