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Within 30 minutes
Easy recipes
As a side dish
Lauki Chana Dal (Bottle Gourd and Split Chickpea Curry)
A hearty and comforting Indian dal made by simmering diced bottle gourd and split yellow chickpeas with basic spices.
Korean Stir-fried Bottle Gourd Namul
Bottle gourd - bak - is a summer vegetable Koreans have stir-fried as namul for centuries. Peeled, seeded, and sliced thin, it is salted briefly to draw out excess moisture before cooking. Garlic and green onion go into the pan first to build a fragrant base, then the gourd is added and cooked with a small splash of water that steams the slices until they turn nearly translucent, releasing a clean, melon-like sweetness. Ground perilla seed stirred in at the end thickens the remaining liquid into a nutty glaze that clings to each piece. The result is a mild, lightly savory namul that makes plain rice disappear on the hottest summer days.
Lauki Halwa (Indian Bottle Gourd Milk Pudding)
Lauki halwa cooks grated bottle gourd in ghee to remove moisture, simmers it in milk, reduces it with sugar and cardamom to a jam-like consistency, and tops it with fried cashews and raisins.
Lauki Raita (Indian Bottle Gourd Yogurt)
A refreshing Indian side dish made by mixing boiled grated bottle gourd with yogurt and roasted ground spices.
Lauki Kofta (Indian Bottle Gourd Dumpling Curry)
Indian home-style curry featuring grated bottle gourd dumplings fried until crispy and simmered in a spiced tomato and onion sauce.
Lauki Thepla (Bottle Gourd Flatbread)
Traditional Gujarati flatbread made by kneading whole wheat flour with grated bottle gourd and aromatic spices, then pan-toasting it.
Sorakaya Pachadi (Andhra Bottle Gourd Chutney)
Sorakaya pachadi is an Andhra-style chutney of sautéed bottle gourd ground coarsely with urad dal, chana dal, green chili, and tamarind. Brown the lentils and chili first, remove them, and soften the gourd in the same pan until lightly colored. Cool the ingredients before blending and leave a little texture instead of making a smooth paste. Finish by pouring over a hot tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida.