Lauki ka Raita (Bottle Gourd Raita)

Right here’s a Raita recipe that makes use of a reasonably completely different vegetable in it. When you could also be loving your mint, cucumber and others made with frequent veggies, this variant made with bottle gourd is unquestionably going to woo you. Lauki Ka Raita is a straightforward, refreshing, savory condiment or facet dish made with bottle gourd (lauki), curd (yogurt) and some spices. Often known as ghiya raita, it’s cooling to the palate and might be served with Pulao, Biryani or any Indian meal.

About Lauki ka Raita

‘Lauki’ is the Hindi title for ‘bottle gourd,’ also called ‘calabash’ or ‘opo squash’ in English. It is usually known as ‘ghiya’ in Hindi and ‘dudhi’ in Marathi and Gujarati. So, Lauki Ka Raita is also called ghiya raita.

This raita recipe is kind of unusual and never extremely popular, however it’s a conventional preparation often made in Punjabi households. The model I’m sharing here’s a household recipe.

In Indian delicacies, raita is a yogurt-based condiment to which greens, fruits, spices, and herbs are added. Raitas might be savory or candy.

The savory variations style delicate and tangy, and pair splendidly with spicy or spiced dishes like biryani, pulao, Kabab, or curries.

This Lauki Ka Raita is not any exception. It additionally goes properly with easy meals like dal-rice or a chapati-sabzi mixture.

Bottle gourd is a watery and cooling vegetable, making it a super alternative for summer season. It’s wealthy in vitamins and minerals, and simple to digest. So, any recipe made with lauki is wholesome; particularly if you happen to steam, simmer, or sauté it as an alternative of deep frying.

The same old spices and seasonings added to Lauki Ka Raita embody chopped inexperienced chilies, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, and both black salt or common salt.

Actually, actually easy recipe, isn’t it? All it’s a must to do is cook dinner the lauki first after which combine it with the curd and different elements.

Listed below are a number of lesser-known raita recipes you might prefer to attempt:
Makhana Raita | Aloo Raita | Carrot Raita | Palak Raita

Step-by-Step Information

The way to make Lauki Ka Raita

Prepare dinner Bottle Gourd

1. Rinse, peel and shred or grate 100 to 125 grams bottle gourd (lauki or ghiya).

You have to about ¾ to 1 cup grated lauki. You’ll be able to grate or shred with a meals processor or a field grater.

Observe: At all times style a small piece of lauki earlier than grating. If it tastes bitter, don’t use it; bitter lauki might be dangerous.

2. Now, take the grated lauki in a pan. Add 1 to 1.25 cups water.

3. Combine very properly and maintain the pan on stovetop.

4. Add ⅛ teaspoon salt.

5. Simmer and cook dinner on medium-low warmth uncovered for about 10 to 12 minutes or till the grated lauki softens and is cooked utterly.

I’ve cooked the lauki in a pan, however you may steam or cook dinner it in a stovetop stress cooker or Instantaneous Pot.

• Cooking in stovetop stress cooker: Add 1 cup water, salt and grated lauki in a 2-liter stovetop stress cooker. Strain cook dinner on medium warmth for five minutes. When the stress falls down naturally, then solely open the lid.
• Cooking in Instantaneous Pot: Take the grated lauki, salt and 1 cup water within the metal insert of the IP. Strain cook dinner for 3 minutes on excessive stress. Do a fast stress launch after 2 to three minutes.

Pressure Cooked Lauki

6. Whether or not you cook dinner the lauki in a pan, stovetop stress cooker or Instantaneous Pot, it’s a must to pressure it later.

Pressure utilizing a juice strainer or sieve. Acquire the strained water in a bowl.

7. Press with a spoon so that each one the water is extracted.

You can too press the cooked lauki in your palms after it turns heat or cools. Use the strained water so as to add to dal (lentils), vegetable recipes, roti or bread dough.

Tip: For a fast cooling technique, add the cooked lauki to a bowl of chilly water. Then, pressure and squeeze them.

Make Lauki Ka Raita

8. Whisk 1 cup recent chilled curd till clean in a bowl.

You should use packaged curd however ensure that it isn’t too bitter.

9. Add the cooked lauki and ½ to 1 teaspoon finely chopped inexperienced chilies or serrano peppers.

You’ll be able to add ¼ to ½ teaspoon crimson chili powder, as an alternative of inexperienced chilies.

10. Mix properly.

11. Add ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, a pinch of garam masala powder (elective) and black salt. Combine very properly.

Substitute black salt with edible and meals grade rock salt or common white salt.

12. Serve Lauki Ka Raita instantly or refrigerate and serve later inside a few hours.

You’ll be able to garnish with coriander leaves or mint leaves, earlier than serving.

Serving & Storage Ideas

Beneath are some methods that you could serve this Lauki Ka Raita and luxuriate in its flavors:

• Rice recipes: A basic technique to serve this raita is with Pulao, Veg Biryani or a Ghee Rice.
• Lentils: Ghiya raita additionally pairs properly with a facet of Dal Tadka, Masoor Dal, Moong Dal or Dal Fry with some roti or steamed rice.
• Greens: You’ll be able to even serve it as a dipping sauce with vegetable crudités and snacks like pakoda or Aloo Tikki. As a facet dish, it tastes nice with any North Indian vegetable dish or curry.
• Paratha: Any stuffed paratha like Aloo Paratha, Gobi Paratha or Mooli Paratha tastes good with this ghiya raita.
• Storage: Refrigerate the leftovers in a lined container just for a day. Lauki Ka Raita tastes finest when freshly served.

Professional Suggestions

1. Bottle gourd (lauki): Use tender lauki when making this ghiya raita recipe. At all times style the lauki earlier than you employ it. If it tastes bitter, then throw it away.
2. Cooking bottle gourd: Typically you might get bottle gourd that takes longer time to cook dinner. On this state of affairs, merely cook dinner the lauki for some extra time. Additionally, you may cook dinner the bottle gourd in a stovetop stress cooker, pan or Instantaneous Pot.
3. Curd (yogurt): I all the time counsel utilizing do-it-yourself Curd for any raita recipe. If utilizing packaged curd, then you should utilize complete milk, toned milk or low-fat curd. However ensure that the curd is just not bitter. You can too embody Greek yogurt or Hung Curd for this raita recipe.
4. Spices: The spices added to this recipe are roasted cumin powder which provides an earthy, nutty taste. For some pungency, I add inexperienced chilies. You’ll be able to skip these, if making for small children. Instead of inexperienced chilies, you may add crimson chili powder or cayenne pepper too. I additionally add garam masala powder, however you may omit it.
5. Herbs: It is a household recipe and I’ve stayed true to it. We don’t add any herbs like coriander leaves (cilantro) or mint. I’ve solely added recent coriander as garnish for plating functions. However be at liberty so as to add them, if you happen to like.
6. Seasoning: You’ll be able to both use black salt, rock salt or common white salt to season this raita.

FAQs

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Lauki ka Raita

By Dassana Amit

Lauki ka Raita is a straightforward and refreshing savory facet dish made with bottle gourd (lauki) and curd (yogurt). Gentle, cooling, and mildly spiced, this raita enhances quite a lot of Indian meals. It pairs particularly properly with pulao, biryani, or perhaps a primary dal-rice or roti-sabzi platter. Cooked lauki provides a tender texture, whereas curd brings a soothing tang. An ideal summer-friendly dish that’s each wholesome and hydrating.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner Time 15 minutes minutes

Whole Time 25 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner ModeStop your display from going darkish whereas making the recipe

Cooking bottle gourd

• Rinse and peel bottle gourd. Lower a small piece and examine the style. If bitter then trash the bottle gourd.

• If the bottle gourd has a nice, delicate style and isn’t bitter, then shred or grate it and put aside.You should use a meals processor or a field grater. Intention for ¾ to 1 cup of grated bottle gourd.

• Now take the grated lauki and 1 to 1.25 cups water in a pan.

• Combine very properly and maintain the pan on stovetop. Add salt.

• Simmer on medium-low warmth and cook dinner this combination uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes or till the grated bottle gourd softens

Straining

• As soon as executed, flip off the warmth. Pressure the cooked bottle gourd in a mesh sieve. Press with a spoon so that each one the water is extracted from the cooked bottle gourd.

• You can too press the lauki in your palms when the cooked lauki turns into heat or cools down.For fast cooling, merely add the cooked lauki to a bowl of chilly water. Then pressure and squeeze the grated cooked gourd.

• Use the strained water so as to add to dal (lentils) or to any vegetable recipe.

Making lauki ka raita

• Whisk recent chilled curd or yogurt till clean.

• Add the cooked lauki and chopped inexperienced chilies.

• Add the roasted cumin powder, a pinch of garam masala powder and black salt or common salt.

• Combine very properly.

• Serve instantly or chill (refrigerate) and serve later in a few hours. You’ll be able to garnish with coriander leaves whereas serving.

Serving options

• Rice recipes: Lauki raita tastes good with a pulao, veg biryani and with any flavored or spiced rice varieties.

• Lentils: It additionally pairs properly with a facet of dal tadka, masoor dal, moong dal or dal fry with some roti or steamed rice.

• Greens: You’ll be able to even serve it as a dipping sauce with vegetable crudités and even with snacks like pakoda or aloo tikki. As a facet dish it tastes nice with any North Indian vegetable dish or curry.

• Paratha: You’ll be able to serve any stuffed paratha with this raita.

• Examine for bitterness: At all times style a small piece of uncooked lauki earlier than cooking. If it tastes bitter, discard it instantly as it may be dangerous.
• Use recent curd: Keep away from bitter yogurt for a nice style. Prepare dinner lauki till tender: Simmer grated lauki uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, then pressure properly.
• Don’t skip straining: Removes extra water and prevents the raita from turning watery.
• Taste it proper: Roasted cumin powder, black salt, and inexperienced chilies add depth and digestive advantages.
• Elective garnish: Add chopped coriander or mint leaves earlier than serving for further freshness and colour.
• Serve recent or chilled: Finest loved instantly or after a brief chill within the fridge.

Diet Information

Lauki ka Raita

Quantity Per Serving

Energy 60 Energy from Fats 27

% Day by day Worth*

Fats 3g5%

Saturated Fats 2g13%

Ldl cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 339mg15%

Potassium 178mg5%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 81IU2%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin B12 1µg17%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Vitamin D 1µg7%

Calcium 112mg11%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 6µg2%

Iron 1mg6%

Magnesium 25mg6%

Phosphorus 83mg8%

Zinc 1mg7%

* P.c Day by day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie food regimen.

Lauki ka Raita recipe from the archives was first revealed on April 2015.