Lauki, or bottle gourd, is a popular summer vegetable that is not always a hit with the youngsters. To rectify the situation, celebrity chef and MasterChef India judge Kunal Kapur shared his signature lauki ka bharta recipe that is easy to make yet delivers big on taste.
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It takes 45 minutes to prepare, and the ingredients listed below are sufficient for two servings. The detailed steps to prepare are as follows.
Ingredients for lauki ka bharta
For roasting lauki
- Lauki (medium) - 1
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Cloves - 6-7
For masala
- Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
- Asafoetida (Hing) - ½ tsp
- Urad dal vadi (broken in 2) - 1
- Cumin - 1 tbsp
- Ginger, chopped - 1 tsp
- Onion, chopped - 2 tbsp
- Tomato, chopped - ½ cup
- Salt - to taste
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
- Coriander powder - 1 tsp
- Kasoori Methi - ½ tsp
- Fresh Coriander, chopped - handful
- Lemon wedge - 1
Method of preparation
- Take one piece of lauki (bottle gourd) and insert six to seven pieces of cloves into it. Pour some oil and rub it all over the lauki, now put it over a live fire and cook the lauki till the outer skin is burnt completely.
- Once it is hot and charred, cover it in a bowl so that it keeps on cooking in its own steam. Now, using some water, remove the outer burnt skin with your hands or a knife. Finally, chop it into small pieces.
- Take some mustard oil in a pan and heat it well. Add some urad dal vadi to the oil and cook till it gets a reddish colour. Next, add some cumin, ginger, heeng, and onions. Cook this mixture for a little while, and then put green chillies, turmeric, red chilli powder, and coriander powder in the pan. Once the masalas are cooked, add the tomatoes and cook over a high flame. You can add some salt to it to help the tomatoes cook faster.
- Once the oil starts oozing out from the side of the tomatoes, add in the diced lauki and mix well. Stir the mixture well and cook it over a high flame.
- Finally finish with some kasoori methi, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice from one wedge.
- To finish the dish, add some kasoori methi, coriander leaves and a little bit of lemon juice towards the end. You can add a little water if it looks too thick. Your lauki ka bharta is now ready to plate. Serve hot along with masala lacha parantha.
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