Lauki /Bottle gourd sabzi or dry curry is an all-time favorite at our house. It is quick to prepare and also a perfect side dish in summers as very easy to digest. Adding lots of tomatoes gives it a distinct taste and flavor.
Add onions and green chili and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Just let it translucent.
Add bottle gourd pieces and mix well. Let them cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add tomatoes at the bottom of the pan and cover them with bottle-gourd cubes.
Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric, and coriander powder. Mix well.
Let it cook on low for another 5-7 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. Keep the lid covered.
Now open the lid and start cooking it on medium heat till ghee comes out from the edges.
Remove from heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Video
Notes
How to pick a bottle gourd?
Try to pick the fresh bottle gourd with light skin and soft flesh. If the bottle gourd seems sightly dry it might be ripe with seeds and won't make a nice sabzi or else will take more time to get cooked.
Can we make this sabzi in a pressure cooker?
Yes, of course, you can make this sabzi in a pressure cooker. To make it in a pressure cooker, Heat clarified butter in a pressure cooker. Add onions and green chili and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Just let it translucent. Add spices and salt. Mix well. Now add tomatoes and add bottle gourd cubes just covering the tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup water and close the lid. Cook it for 1 whistle. Open the lid once pressure evaporates and then cook on medium heat until ghee separates.
Why so many tomatoes?
Tomatoes balance the sweetness of lauki and onions in the dish and make it a very delicious and flavorful side dish.
How to store Lauki ki Sabzi?
Store the leftovers in the refrigerator and it can stay well for a couple of days. Reheat with some ghee when you are ready to serve and enjoy.
Can we make it Vegan?
Ghee gives the dish a very unique and delicious taste. But if you want to make it Vegan you can definitely do that. Use some oil instead of ghee and you are good to go.