Bottle gourd, or lauki, is a soft-fleshed vegetable with high water content, making it easy to cook and digest. Supplied fresh by Vivek, it's commonly used in sabzis, soups, koftas, and even halwa. Its pale green skin and spongy white interior blend well with mild spices for light, flavorful dishes. Choose lauki that feels firm and has smooth skin for best results. Whether youre preparing a simple curry or a stuffed version, Viveks bottle gourds provide consistent quality and freshness.
 
Recipe You Should Definitely Try:
How to Make Lauki Chana Dal Curry
 
 Ingredients:
 
Bottle gourd (lauki/doodhi) – 2 cups, peeled & chopped into small cubes
Chana dal (split Bengal gram) – ½ cup (soaked for 30–60 mins)
Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato – 1 large, chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp, grated
Green chili – 1, slit (optional)
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Red chili powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – ½ tsp (optional)
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Hing (asafoetida) – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp
Water – 2 to 2½ cups
Fresh coriander – for garnish
 
 Method:
 
1. Prep the dal:
Wash and soak chana dal for 30–60 mins.
Pressure cook it with 1½ cups water and a pinch of turmeric for 2–3 whistles. Dal should be soft but not mushy. Set aside.
2. Sauté the masala:
Heat oil or ghee in a pan or cooker.
Add cumin seeds and hing. Let them sizzle.
Add chopped onion, green chili, and grated ginger. Sauté until onions are light golden.
Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
Add turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Cook the masala till oil separates.
3. Add lauki and cook:
Add chopped lauki. Stir well to coat with masala.
Add ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 5–6 minutes (or 1 whistle if using a cooker) until lauki is half-cooked.
4. Add cooked dal:
Add the cooked chana dal (with any remaining water).
Mix and simmer everything together for 5–7 minutes until the lauki and dal are both soft but intact. Adjust consistency.
5. Finish & garnish:
Sprinkle garam masala and mix gently.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
 
 Pairs With:
 
Phulka / chapati
Steamed rice + ghee
Jeera rice + papad + pickle combo