From halwa to kofta: 9 interesting dishes made with bottle gourd (lauki)

Bottle gourd or lauki is a low calorie vegetable, which is a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin K, calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Bottle gourd is also rich in dietary fiber, which promotes digestive health by preventing constipation and supporting regular bowel movements. While it is often disliked for its bland taste and unappetizing popular curry, there are many innovative dishes that one can make with lauki. Here we have listed nine healthy and interesting dishes that are a must-try.

Another curry preparation made with grated lauki shaped into kofta balls along with besan and spices, which are deep-fried and then dunked in tomato-onion gravy.

Best paired with ajwain paratha, this is a side dish made with diced lauki cooked in ghee or mustard oil along with turmeric powder, green chillies, garlic cloves, and salt.

This is a main course dish, made with lauki and lots of diced onion cooked in a semi-dry gravy of ground spices. It is best paired with tawa, or tandoori roti.

It's a condiment made with grated lauki sauteed in ghee along with cumin seeds and green chilli and further mixed in curd, seasoned with roasted cumin powder, salt, sugar, and pepper.

It's a simple and healthy curry made with soaked chana dal cooked in a pressure cooker along with ghee, diced lauki, green chillies, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and turmeric powder.

As the name suggests, it's a dessert made with grated lauki cooked in ghee along with mawa, sugar, milk, and roasted nuts.

This is a healthy soup made with lauki puree cooked in ghee or oil along with salt, pepper, and paprika powder. It is best paired with bread croutons.

Lauki paratha is a healthy breakfast option, made with grated lauki seasoned with salt, pepper, chilli, and lemon juice, which can be either stuffed in dough or mixed with dough.

This makes for a healthy snack and refers to a deep-fried delight that is made with grated lauki, mixed with besan, salt, pepper, green chilli, turmeric powder, and coriander leaves.

This one makes for a healthy morning ritual and to make it, all you need to do is, blend bottle gourd into juice and season it with salt and pepper.

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