How to make Lauki ki sabzi / halwa?

Bottle guard also known as Sorakkai, Lauki, Dudhi is actually a fruit in botanical sense but considered as a vegetable generally. It is a perfect vegetable for summer as it contains 96% of water apart from essential minerals, protiens and fibres.

I have given the recipe for both lauki ki sabzi and halwa. Now decide what do you want to make today!

Recipe for Lauki ki sabzi

Ingredients

Chopped (1 inch piece) bottle gourd 1 cup
Finely chopped Onions ½ cup
Finely chopped juicy Tomatoes 1 cup
Ginger Galrlic paste 1 spoon
Chopped Coriander Leaves
Jeera (Cumin) Seeds ½ tea spoon
Garam Masala 1 tea spoon
Red chili powder1 tea spoon
Haldi (Turmeric) Powder ½ tea spoon
Salt to taste
Fat Free Yogurt/Curd 2 table spoons
Cooking Oil 2 table spoons

Preparations

1. Heat oil in a thick bottom pan over medium heat and sprinkle jeera seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add chopped onions. Then add ginger garlic paste.

2. Saute the mixture, the onions will first turn translucent and then slightly brown, at this stage add tomatoes. Stir the mixture well and mash tomato pieces with spatula so that all the juices are released.

4. Reduce the heat. Add garam masala, red chilli powder, haldi powder. Sprinkle salt.

5. Mix the masala well until spices leave their raw aroma. Add yogurt and stir again. Bring the heat to medium and after few minutes, you’ll see oil floating in the corners of the pan. This is the right stage to add chopped bottle gourd.

6. Reduce heat and simmer until the veggie is very tender and the masala has thickened, about 10 minutes. If you want the dry sabzi, stop at this point. If you want the gravy, add 1/2 cup water and simmer for couple more minutes untill the desired thickness is achieved.

7. Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander and serve with hot rotis.

Recipe for Lauki ka halwa

Very easy and delicious dessert.

Ingredients:

Grated lauki 3 cups
Sugar- 1 cup
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Raisins & Cashews - 1 spoon
Cardomom powder - 1/4 tsp
Procedure :
1. Choose tender guards. Peel the skin, remove seeds.

2. Put the grated guard in a thick heavy pan (non- stick preferred). Add sugar and let it cook on medium low heat. The sugar guard mixture releases more water. Cook untill all the water evaporates.

3. The mixture becomes a mass. Add ghee and stir for few minutes till all the ghee is incorporated into the mixture. Add fried cashews and resins.