Lauki or bottlegourd is very popular in Indian cooking. It is used in a variety of ways and one of the simplest ways is in this recipe. Lauki juice is one of the best raw foods available and can give the much hyped wheatgrass juice a run for its money. I have made the vegan version of this veggie.
You'll need
Bottle gourd-skinned and chopped
Bori or Vadi - made from lentils available at any Indian store. However this is optional and you can use shrimp intead. Skip it altogether if you don't have it.
Another very staple spice in the bengali kitchen available at any indian store..called the Panch phoron translates as five spices. The red chilly ofcourse needs no introduction!
Heat oil and add the spices..1 tablesoon for 1 medium lauki. I used two of these.When the seeds start to crackle, dump the chopped lauki. Stir quickly,cover the pan and reduce the heat.
Add the vadi or shrimp and let it cook further for 4 or 5 mintutes. You can tell they are done when they look all mushy. Don't forget to salt it! I made this really simple because I was targeting the kids. You can glam it up with green chillies or coconut milk in the end! Very tasty when served with hot steaming basmati rice...Picture that !!:)
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