Name: Sookhi Lauki Ki Sabzi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 400 g Bottle Gourd, lauki/dudhi, peeled and cut into small uniform cubes; 2 Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped; 1½ tbsp Cooking Oil, neutral oil; 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, jeera; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric, haldi; 1 tsp Salt, to taste; 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

25 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Ingredients

400 gBottle Gourdlauki/dudhi, peeled and cut into small uniform cubes
2Green Chili Pepperfinely chopped
1½ tbspCooking Oilneutral oil
1 tspCumin Seedsjeera
¼ tspGround Turmerichaldi
1 tspSaltto taste
2 tbspCoriander Leaveschopped

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Method

Heat the cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and pop.
Add the finely chopped green chillies and sauté for just a few seconds. This infuses the oil with a slight heat.
Add the bottle gourd (lauki) cubes to the pan. Sprinkle the turmeric powder over them and toss well so the lauki takes on a bright yellow color.
Cover the pan with a tight lid and lower the heat. Let the lauki cook in its own juices. Do not add any water, as bottle gourd contains plenty of natural moisture.
Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lauki cubes are completely tender and soft when pressed with a spoon.
Remove the lid. If there is any excess water pooled at the bottom, increase the heat to medium-high and evaporate it until the sabzi is mostly dry.
Add the salt and give it a final mix. Turn off the heat.
Garnish generously with fresh coriander and serve hot.

How to tell it's done

Ultra-soft, melt-in-the-mouth cubes of bright yellow bottle gourd with a clean, light, and mildly peppery finish.

Getting it right

Tip

This hyper-minimalist recipe intentionally skips onions, garlic, tomatoes, and heavy spices to allow the cooling, delicate, and slightly sweet flavor of the fresh bottle gourd to stand out.

What to serve it with

A light, everyday meal. Best enjoyed with plain, hot Phulkas smeared with a little ghee.

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