Mamta's Kitchen

Stuffed Bottle Gourd or Courgettes Indian Style

Bharwa Lauki or Tori ki Sabji

CurryIndianMainVegetarian

This dish can be made using ordinary bottle gourd or marrow or large courgettes (tori/turai). Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized lauki/bottle gourd or a young marrow (not too mature)

  • 1 litre boiling, salted water in a large pan (to blanch the whole lauki)

  • 3-4 tablespoonful ghee or oil

  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds

  • 1 small cup of thick yoghurt or dahi

  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped.

  • Salt to taste

  • For making Spice paste

  • 1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)

  • 1 inch/2.5 cm. piece ginger, peeled

  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

  • 2 tsp. coarsely ground fennel (saunf) seeds

  • 1/2 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste

  • Garnish:

  • 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

  • 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

Instructions

  1. Peel the lauki and cut off stalk end. Marrow doesn't have to be peeled.

  2. Cut it into half lengthways and blanch in boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water to stop it cooking further.

  3. Scoop out some of the flesh from the centre, to make 2 hollow halves. Keep aside.

  4. Heat ghee in large frying pan or saucepan that will take the whole lauki/marrow lengthways.

  5. Add chopped onion and fry on moderate heat until lightly browned.

  6. While the sliced onion is frying, grind the paste ingredients in a food processor to a paste.

  7. Reduce heat of frying onions from step 5. Add in cumin seeds and let them fry for a minute.

  8. Add paste from step 6 and stir it is.

  9. Continue frying this mix for another 5-10 minutes, until ghee begins to shine at the edges.

  10. Add yogurt, tomatoes and salt. Continue simmering gently again, until it is of semi solid consistency.

  11. Gently place the lauki/marrow halves into the pan, spooning in/over at least half of the mix into the hollow of the lauki/courgette.

  12. Cover the pan tightly and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes. You can cook it in a hot oven as well. If it looks too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan. This will give the lauki thick gravy.

  13. Once cooked, sprinkle garam masala and chopped coriander leaves on top.

  14. Serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Paratha


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