Lauki Ki Sabzi Recipe (Bottle Gourd Curry)

If you have been on the hunt for a new favorite curry to try out, you might just be in luck with this delicious bottle gourd curry. 

Not only is this dish mouthwateringly good, but it’s so easy to make and super healthy, too. 

It has a delightful tomato-onion base with lots of fantastic Indian spices to make you fall in love with it. You can make this dish on the stovetop or an Instant Pot, and it can be altered to suit anyone’s needs. 

There really is nothing not to love about this recipe, so stick around and find out everything you need to know to make it as soon as possible.  

What Exactly is Bottle Gourd (Lauki)?

Also known as long melon or calabash, lauki is a term used to describe bottle gourd. This is a popular fruit (melons are fruit!) that is commonly grown all over the world for various uses.

The gourds can be harvested young or mature, and are essentially used the same way many vegetables are. 

There are lots of different names that are used for bottle gourd (as they are known in English). In a variety of Indian languages, you may know them as lau, dudhi, churakka, sorekai, ghiya, sorakaya, or dudhi bhopala. In other countries, they may be referred to as cucuzza, opo squash, or calabash. 

Why You Are Going to Love This Recipe

There are lots of reasons for you to fall head-over-heels for this curry, but we will focus on the main ones if you need some convincing to make it:

• It is a one-pot recipe – everyone loves using as few pots as possible when cooking, and this is great for just that! Everything can get cooked in a single pot to keep the mess down and make everything streamlined and easy. 
• This dish is super easy to make – anyone can make this, provided they can chop up the lauki! You don’t need to be a pro in the kitchen, and you can even get your kids involved and teach them some necessary skills. No fancy equipment is needed for it, either, as you can easily make this curry on the stovetop if you do not have an Instant Pot. 
• It is ready in less than 25 minutes – looking for a quick dish that you can prepare in under half an hour? You can get this delightful curry ready to serve in as little as 25 minutes in an Instant Pot. Making it on the stovetop might take a little longer, but not by much. 
• The curry is healthy and delicious – there is nothing better than finding a meal that is mouthwatering and actually good for you! This recipe is packed full of nutrients and great flavors, so you really do get the best of both worlds.
• Pairs well with a lot of different side dishes – you are not restricted to one or two side dishes if you choose to make this. In fact, this recipe will pair wonderfully with a variety of side dishes, including chapati, roti, steamed rice, and even pasta if you like! You could even have salad or something similar on the side if you would like to keep things healthy. 
• You can alter the recipe to suit your needs easily – everyone has different needs and preferences, and you can change anything you like in this recipe. Too hot? Reduce the chili (or get rid of it entirely)! You can do anything you like, and even try out different variations if you are looking for something a little different.

Lauki Ki Sabzi Ingredients

Luckily, you are not going to need anything fancy for this recipe. In fact, you might already have most of the ingredients sitting at home just waiting to be used! 

Here’s a list of all the ingredients you will need to make lauki ki sabzi:

• 1 tbsp oil – for frying (coconut or vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 large bottle gourd (lauki) – peeled, cubed (about ½-inch pieces)
• 1 medium onion – chopped
• 1 large tomato – chopped
• 1-inch ginger – minced
• 1-2 green chilies – chopped (adjust for heat preference)
• 5-6 curry leaves
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder – adjust to taste
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp amchur powder (mango powder) – optional, for tanginess
• Salt – to taste
• ¼ cup water – adjust for desired consistency
• Juice of ½ lemon – for freshness
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves – chopped, for garnish

How to Make This Bottle Gourd Curry – A Step-by-Step Guide

This recipe is super easy, so anyone can do it. We will note down the step-by-step instructions below, so you can easily follow along:

1. Clean your bottle gourd under cool water, then top and tail it with a nice, sharp knife
2. Use a peeler to remove the skin, then cut the fruit lengthwise
3. If there are any seeds in the gourd, remove them using a spoon
4. Chop up the gourd into ½ inch sized cubes

With your lauki now prepared, you can get to cooking! Here we are going to go through the Instant Pot cooking method:

5. Select “saute” on your Instant Pot and allow it to heat up
6. Add your oil and allow it to heat up, then throw in your cumin seeds and allow them to start spluttering 
7. Add the chopped chilies, curry leaves, and minced ginger, and saute everything together for a few seconds 
8. Add in your chopped onions and saute everything until the onions become translucent and soft
9. Throw in your chopped tomatoes along with all the dry spices you are using (red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, salt, garam masala, etc.)
10. Cook everything for two minutes until the spices are blooming (become fragrant) and the tomatoes become soft
11. Add in the water and lauki cubes, and stir everything together gently 
12. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the vent to “sealing”. Press the high-pressure (pressure cook/manual) option, and put 5 minutes on the cooking time
13. Allow everything to cook for the allotted time, and wait for the Instant Pot to beep. Once this happens, you can allow the pressure to naturally release for around 10 minutes
14. Make sure to remove the lid away from you, as you can easily get burned! 
15. Squeeze in the juice of your lemon (or bottled lemon juice), throw in your coriander leaves, and mix everything together
16. If you notice excess water in the Instant Pot, put it on the “saute” setting and continue cooking everything on that setting until it evaporates, and you reach your preferred consistency
17. Serve, and enjoy!

You can easily make this curry using a stovetop pressure cooker or just the stovetop if you like! The steps will remain very similar throughout. 

If you choose to cook this dish on the stovetop, just remember to time everything correctly. Use a medium flame or heat and make sure you stir everything occasionally to prevent anything from sticking. 

NOTE: if your Instant Pot has given you the “burn” alert in the past, you may need to add two extra tablespoons of water to the pot when cooking. You should also deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot using water to prevent anything from sticking to it. This will help to avoid the “burn” alert. 

What Can You Serve With Lauki Ki Sabzi?

There are lots of delicious foods that you can serve alongside lauki ki sabzi. Popular options include things like phulka, roti, steamed rice, and chapati. However, you can also enjoy this dish with various salads, masoor dal, or dal tadka. 

If you really wanted, you could even pair this dish with a pasta of your choice! The options really are limitless, because this will go with just about anything. Why not experiment with a load of different side options, and find out which one you love the most? 

Storage and Refrigeration Tips

If you find yourself with leftovers (surprising, considering how delicious it is), fear not! You can easily store them and enjoy them at a later date if you need to – unlike many other recipes. 

To store them, you need to first allow the leftovers to cool down to room temperature. Transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 2–3 days. 

You could also store the leftovers in the freezer for up to three months. Do this in a freezer-safe airtight container or a sealable bag to prevent any spillage. 

Reheating Your Lauki Ki Sabzi

If you freeze your lauki ki sabzi, make sure to leave it in the refrigerator overnight to properly thaw before heating it up. 

To heat it up, you can either use a microwave or warm it up in a pot on the stovetop. Ensure that everything is thoroughly heated before serving!

Tips and Tricks for Making the Perfect Lauki Ki Sabzi

Although this recipe is so simple, there is also a lot that can go wrong if you are not paying attention. Since you want to make a killer lauki ki sabzi, consider the following tips and tricks when you start the process, and you will never be disappointed. 

Use Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream

Adding coconut milk will make the whole dish super creamy and even more flavorful. Just a ¼ cup will do the trick, and you will be surprised to see what a huge difference it can make! 

Alternatively, you could use regular cream to make this recipe nice and creamy. Of course, this will not be the ideal choice if you are vegan, but use whatever you prefer and which one suits you best.

Both options are delicious, so you will not be missing out. 

Do Not Overcook Your Bottle Gourd!

This probably goes without saying, but try not to overcook your bottle gourd. You would be surprised by how easy it is to do this, especially if you are making the dish on a stovetop where there are no automatic timers. 

If you are using the stovetop to make this dish, ensure that you set timers to stay on top of things. If you overcook your gourd, it will turn to mush and be unpleasant for the dish. You want it to be cooked, but not too soft for it to fall apart if you try to pick it up with a fork. 

When setting timers on pressure cookers and Instant Pots, make sure to stick to the instructions we have given here. 

A Fresh Gourd is Always the Best

While you probably won’t be able to find bottle gourd that has already been chopped up for you, that isn’t what this is about. Your lauki should be fresh, with no soft patches and no discoloration. There should not be any cuts on the skin that you haven’t made, either. 

When looking for the perfect bottle gourd, ensure that the skin is nice and smooth. It should be a pale green color, and even when cut open, the flesh should not be soft if you press down on it.

It is important to know that if you taste (or smell) any bitterness coming from your bottle gourd, you should discard it. Not only is a bitter lauki unpleasant to eat but the cucurbitacin in the fruit can be dangerous if large quantities are ingested. 

A safe bottle gourd will have a very mild flavor and smell, and be watery. There should be no unusual marks on the skin or bruises. The neutral flavor is one of the best qualities of this fruit, which means that you can season it however you like and have a fantastic meal with all your favorite seasoning options. 

What Variations Can You Try?

If you love this recipe and would like to try some different variations, we have good news! There are lots of options for you to try out and fall in love with. We will go through some of the best options below, so you can get out there and find your all-time favorite.  

Add a Variety of Vegetables

You can go ham with the vegetables you add to a dish like this. Just take a look in the fridge and cupboards and see what you have. 

Options like sweet potatoes and white potatoes will work a treat in a recipe like this. However, vegetables like green peas will also be amazing and complement all the flavors wonderfully. 

If you would like to stick with the gourd family, you can add pumpkin, peerkangai (ridge gourd), chow chow (chayote squash), yellow squash, or zucchini. These are all easy to work with and have mild flavors, making them perfect for a dish full of delicious spices. 

Alternatively, you could add vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower if you are looking for something different. Cauliflower will add a wonderful, nutty flavor, while broccoli has a grassy and earthy flavor that will enhance the dish. 

Opt For Some Non-Vegan Options

While this is a vegan recipe at heart, you do not need to keep it that way! You have full freedom to try out different non-vegan ingredients in your lauki ki sabzi curry, too. 

If you love dairy, you can always add cream or plain yogurt to a dish like this to add some extra creaminess and protein. You might even love the idea of throwing in some kind of cheese to add more flavor and pull everything together, so try it! 

Grate some Parmesan cheese over the top, because it works! 

Try Different Spices

Depending on your preferences and needs, you can increase or decrease species, or skip some altogether! If you have got the hang of it and have a good understanding of Indian spices, you can even add in some new ones if you like. 

Some additional seasoning options like kasoori methi could work nicely in a dish like this, as could garlic. Just experiment with some Indian spices and herbs, and you might find something even better.  

Throw in Dal

Lentils are fantastic for dishes like this and can transform the whole thing to be ten times better. Dal will make a dish like this even more filling, and you will be kept full for longer while also enjoying the earthy flavors of the ingredients. 

If you would like to add something like chana dal or moong dal to your bottle gourd curry, the process is easy! All you need to do is ensure that you soak the dal for a few hours (1–2 hours will do), then simply add them to the lauki ki sabzi curry at the same time the bottle gourd gets added. 

The lentils will cook at the same rate as the gourd, and they will be perfectly cooked by the time the dish is ready. 

Final Thoughts

This lauki ki sabzi is beyond delicious, and so easy to make. With a handful of simple ingredients like bottle gourd, tomatoes, onion, curry leaves, and spices, you can end up with something delightful in no time.

What’s even better is that this recipe takes less than half an hour if you use a pressure cooker. It might take a little longer on a stovetop, but even then, it will hardly take any time at all. 

So, the next time you feel like something quick and easy on a weeknight, but don’t know what to try, make this! It is super healthy, quick, and great for vegetarians and vegans. It is keto-friendly and packed full of great flavors and nutrients to keep you going, so there is nothing not to love about it. 

What are you waiting for? Get all the ingredients you need, and start making this delight! 

Frequently Asked Questions