Food Blogs
Bharwa Lauki Recipe
There are two ways to look at lauki. Only the pessimist would think it to be plain and boring; the optimist always looks at it as a wonderful ingredient that absorbs the added flavours very well. Once again, lauki proves its mettle in this recipe, with a grand stuffing of mixed nuts and paneer enhanced with simple but effective spice powders. Drowned in a tangy tomato gravy, the stuffed lauki is nothing short of a delicacy. Garnish the Bharwa Lauki with perky coriander and serve fresh.
Prep Time | 15 minutes |
Cook Time | 16 minutes |
Servings |
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Ingredients
For The Stuffed Lauki
- 1 big bottle gourd doodhi / lauki
- 1/2 cup crumbled paneer cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mixed nuts (almonds cashews and pistachios)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander dhania
- 1/2 tsp dried mango powder amchur
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder dhania
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp Cornflour
- salt to taste
For The Tomato Gravy
- 2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 small stick cinnamon dalchini
- 1/2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
- 1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds powder dhania-jeera
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander dhania
Ingredients
For The Stuffed Lauki
For The Tomato Gravy
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Instructions
For the stuffed lauki
- Combine all the ingredients, except the bottle gourd, in a deep bowl and mix well. Keep the stuffing aside.
- Cut the bottle gourd lengthwise to get two halves and scoop out the centre of both the halves. Cut each half into a 50 mm. (2?) long pieces. You will get approx. 10 pieces in all.
- Combine the bottle gourd pieces, salt and enough water in a deep non-stick pan and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till the bottle gourd pieces are cooked. Drain well and keep aside to cool slightly.
- Divide the paneer stuffing into 10 equal portions and stuff each piece of bottle gourd with a portion of the filling. Keep aside.
For the tomato gravy
- Combine the tomatoes and 1 cup of water in a deep non-stick pan, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly and blend in a mixer till smooth. Keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the cinnamon and cloves and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
- Add the tomato mixture, ginger-green chilli paste, coriander-cumin seeds powder, chilli powder, garam masala, sugar and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
How to proceed
- Just before serving, place the stuffed bottle gourd pieces on a serving plate and pour the hot tomato gravy over it.
- Serve immediately garnished with coriander.