This is a traditional mildly flavoured Indian dish. The bottle gourd (lauki, loki) is simmered in fresh herbs and spices.

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle gourd (lauki, loki)
  • ¼ onion
  • 2ml cumin seeds
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 spring onion
  • 3 mint leaves
  • ½ tomato, grated

Method

  1. Peel and dice the bottle gourd (lauki, loki) into pieces.
  2. Heat the oil in a pan. Stir in the cumin seeds, dried chilli and 2 freshly chopped mint leaves.
  3. Add in the finely sliced onions. Allow these ingredients to simmer until the onions turn a pale brown colour.
  4. Stir in the diced pieces of bottle gourd (loki, lauki) and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Add in the grated tomato, spring onions, chopped mint leaf, sugar and salt.
  6. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the tomatoes and bottle gourd (loki,lauki) have become soft.
  7. At this stage, allow the bottle gourd to fry allowing excess fluids to evaporate.
  8. Using the back of a fork, lightly mash the bottle gourd (loki, lauki) and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
  9. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.