The last 2 posts were sweet and filled calories, so this post is a healthy simple dish which can be enjoyed with rice or roti. Lauki which is also called bottle gourd, calabash, or white flour gourd. There are different ways we can make it such as a gravy dish, dry dish, sweet dish or used to make raita. Today I am bringing the gravy style which is called Lauki ki Sabzi or ghiya ki sabzi.

This year I did grow a few vegetables in my backyard and lauki is one of them. This is the first time i tried growing it. Bought the plants at a local nursery here in NJ who was selling a few Indian and Chinese vegetable plants. I wasn’t sure if it will grow or not, but to my surprise this plant grew and this is my lauki of the season that I harvested.

There is nothing like fresh grown vegetables. Love the freshness, tenderness that they have when they are right out of your garden. I was so excited as I haven’t had lauki in such a long time. No one wants to eat it and I am the only one so I don’t make it. Yesterday, no one was home, kids went to grandmas house, husband on a business trip so decided to make it for my self.

This recipe is onion and garlic free and can be eaten in Navratri fasting too as lauki is allowed during navratri..

Reasons why I like Lauki ki Sabzi:

light on your stomach
simple and easy dish to make
helps in weight loss

Click here to learn more nutrition facts about Lauki.

Ingredients:

1 bottle gourd, peeled and cubed (lauki)
an inch of ginger, chopped
1 green chilies, chopped
1-2 dry red chili pepper
salt to taste
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asafoetida powder
1/3 cup tomato puree
1.5 tbsp grape seed oil or oil you prefer

Directions:

First peel and cut the lauki into cubes. Wash it and set aside. Also you can cut your ginger, green chili and have it ready. I used canned tomato puree, if you are using fresh tomatoes then puree them too.

Start your instant pot on a SAUTE mode. Once the screen show HOT, add oil and cumin seeds. Let the seeds splutter. Now add asafoetida, dry chili pepper. After a few secs, add ginger and green chilies. Saute for an additional few seconds and add tomato puree. Saute until the tomato doesn’t have a raw smell.

Add cut lauki and along with salt, turmeric, red chili powder. Mix it well. Put the lid and SEAL it. Now press, MANUAL and time set to 25 mins. Once it is done you can leave it for another 5-6 mins and release the pressure. Using the potato masher, mash it a little bit. Add garam masala to it at this time.

Garnish it with cilantro. Enjoy it hot with boiled rice or roti.

Try this another lauki recipe from my blog : Lauki ka Raita

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If you like the recipe, please comment below after you give it a try and share it on Facebook. Would like to hear from you. Your comments, likes, dislikes, matters to me. Thank you for stopping by!!

Happy Cooking!!!