A vegetable I never liked but grown up having it on daily basis(Forcefully ofcourse). In last decade, it earned lot of respect(Thanks to Ramdev Baba) but it virtually took our kid's heart out, because nowadays they are imposed to have it due to its nutritional advantages.
My Dadaji(Grandfather) used to love Lauki, whenever we had our meal together(I was a kid then), I'd just watch him having it - it was an awesome experience, I tell you guys. How can anyone love it this much, I used to think? Later on I came to know that He was diabetic and this vegetable used to brought the only streak of sweetness in his food.
Lauki is 96.1% water, so is light on the stomach and aids digestion. A 100 gm serving of lauki contains just 12 calories and is ideal if you are watching your weight.
Nutritional benefits of Lauki
-
Cooked lauki is cooling, calming and acts as diuretic. It makes you relax after eating. But don’t eat the vegetable raw as it can harm the stomach and intestines.
-
It plays a very important role in treating urinary disorders. Prepare a glass of fresh juice by grating lauki and then mixing it with limejuice. Drink it once a day to combat the burning sensation caused by the high acidity of urine. It can be had along with sulpha drugs to treat urinary infection as it acts as an alkaline diuretic.
-
Lauki juice is an excellent remedy for excessive thirst caused by diarrhea, over consumption of fatty or fried foods, and diabetes. Drink a glass of this juice with a little salt added to it to treat this condition.
-
A glass of lauki juice with a little salt added to it prevents excessive loss of sodium, satiating thirst and keeping you refreshed in summer.
-
If you are on a low calorie diet, suffering from digestive problems, are diabetic or convalescing, then lauki is must for you as it is easily digestible and low in calories.
Recipes of Lauki/Bottle gourd -
Bottle gourd Halwa (Lauki Halwa) -
Ingredients:
1 medium bottlegourd, peeled and grated (about 1-1/2 cups after the liquid is squeezed out)
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp raisins/sultanas
1 tbsp cashewnuts, broken into pieces
2 tbsp ghee or little veg oil to saute the gourd
1 cup milk and more if required
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds, powdered
1 medium bottlegourd, peeled and grated (about 1-1/2 cups after the liquid is squeezed out)
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp raisins/sultanas
1 tbsp cashewnuts, broken into pieces
2 tbsp ghee or little veg oil to saute the gourd
1 cup milk and more if required
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds, powdered
Method:
1. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the cashewnuts till golden. Add the raisins and fry for 10-15 seconds.
2. Add the grated squeezed bottlegourd and mix well, frying on medium-high for 5 minutes, stirring all the time.
3. Now pour in the milk and stir well. Let the doodhi cook on medium-high till the milk is nearly absorbed. Stir every once in a while.
4. Now add the sugar and the cardamom seeds and mix well again.
5. Let the halwa cook down till the liquid is absorbed.
Notes:
Draining and squeezing all the water from the gourd is done traditionally for halwa but I don't know whether it's a good idea to drain the bottlegourd. Because then you lose a lot of nutrients from it. Instead, I fried the grated bottlegourd till the moisture evaporates a little and then I added milk powder and then sugar. Add 1-2 drops green color if you want appealing halwa .
2. Add the grated squeezed bottlegourd and mix well, frying on medium-high for 5 minutes, stirring all the time.
3. Now pour in the milk and stir well. Let the doodhi cook on medium-high till the milk is nearly absorbed. Stir every once in a while.
4. Now add the sugar and the cardamom seeds and mix well again.
5. Let the halwa cook down till the liquid is absorbed.
Notes:
Draining and squeezing all the water from the gourd is done traditionally for halwa but I don't know whether it's a good idea to drain the bottlegourd. Because then you lose a lot of nutrients from it. Instead, I fried the grated bottlegourd till the moisture evaporates a little and then I added milk powder and then sugar. Add 1-2 drops green color if you want appealing halwa .
Bottle gourd Fry (Lauki Fry) -
Ingredients:
Bottle gourd - 1 small size
Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 to 4
Milk- 1/4 cup
Oil
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - a few
Chana dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 to 4
Milk- 1/4 cup
Oil
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - a few
Method:
1. Peel and chop the bottle gourd into medium pieces
2. Heat oil , crackle mustard seeds and fry urad dal, chana dal till it turns golden brown
3. Add red chillies, turmeric, curry leaves and fry for 10 sec.
4. Add bottle gourd pieces, salt and milk and cook until bottle goud gets tender. Add extra water or milk if required.
4. Add bottle gourd pieces, salt and milk and cook until bottle goud gets tender. Add extra water or milk if required.
5.Add little sugar to the curry and simmer until water evaporates .
6.Garnish with coriander leaves.
