Lau Posto (Bottle Gourd cooked with Poppy Seeds Paste - Bengali Style)

          This healthy veggie can be made use of in making many yummy dishes. One such is Lau Posto, a traditional Bengali homemade recipe that is simply out of this world. Bottle gourd is cooked along with some poppy seeds paste and in mustard oil for an authentic touch. 

           Drop in some fried vadi / mangodi for a slight crunch. Light on your tummy, it can be dished out in a jiffy. This amazingly delicious side dish goes well with hot steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy. 

• 1 medium size bottle gourd / lauki, chopped
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. sugar (opt)
• 8-10 bori / dried lentil dumplings / vadi
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 cup poppy seeds paste
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the vadi till golden brown in color. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the chopped bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder, sugar, cumin powder, fried mangodi and green chilies. Mix well and cook, covered for 4-5 minutes.

           Add the poppy seeds paste and 1/2 cup water. Again cover and cook till done. Switch off the flame and add the coriander leaves and remaining mustard oil. 

           Give it a stir and let it remain covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice or chapatti.






Note - 

1.  I have used sesame seeds in place of poppy seeds as it is not available here. But there was no change in the flavor. It absolutely was yummy.

                    Heat 2 tbsp. oil & sauté mangodi till golden brown. Drain & keep aside. 
                    Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Add chopped bottle gourd, salt, 
                    turmeric powder, sugar, cumin powder, fried mangodi & green chilies. 

                                 Mix well and cook, covered for 4-5 minutes.

                       Add poppy seeds paste & 1/2 cup water. Again cover & cook till done. 

  Switch off flame & add coriander leaves & remaining mustard oil. 

Give it a stir & let it remain covered for 2-3 minutes. 

                                 Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice or chapatti.

Lau Muger Dal Ghonto (Bottle Gourd Curry - Bong Style)

          This is a typical homemade style bottle gourd that can be seen in many Bengali household. It is a very simple and an easy preparation, where vadi or dried lentil dumplings are added to give this dish a crunchy effect. 

          It is cooked with minimum of spices and in mustard oil, which gives this dish an authentic taste and flavour. So go ahead and try this healthy side dish that is light on the stomach and relish with either rice or chapatti.

• 1 medium, size tender bottle gourd, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of  fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 8-10 bori / mangodi / dried lentil dumplings
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. sugar (opt)
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the bori till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with panch phoron and allow it to splutter.

          Now add the green chilies and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the bottle gourd, fried bori, dry roasted moong dal and all the dry spices.

          Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle water if required and stir at intervals. When almost done add the tomatoes and continue to cook till the moisture is all absorbed.

          Switch off the flame and add the ghee followed by the coriander leaves. Give it a stir and keep it covered for 5 minutes. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Lau Chechki (Grated Bottle Gourd / Lauki Curry - Bong Style)

          If you are looking for something light and a simple side dish, then here is an easy and a delicious Bong style curry prepared out of grated lauki / bottle gourd. It requires minimum of spices and is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice. Same time you can also have with chapattis / parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 medium, size lauki / bottle gourd, grated
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 8-10 bori / vadi / mangodi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 1 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 2 green chilies, cut into half / slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 cup coriander leaves & stems, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee / raw mustard oil

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till light golden colour. Drain and keep aside to cool. Then grind it coarsely and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with kalonji and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds and add the grated lauki, salt, turmeric powder and cumin powder.

          Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Keep stirring at intervals and cook till done.

          Add the coriander leaves, ghee / raw mustard oil and the coarsely ground vadi. Mix well and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice or with chapattis.

                                 Grate lauki / bottle gourd.

                            Temper oil with kalonji & green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Add grated lauki, salt, turmeric powder & cumin powder. Mix everything

                   well & cook, covered on low flame. Stir at intervals & cook till done.

                     Add coriander leaves, ghee / raw mustard oil & coarsely ground vadi. Mix 
                     well & switch off the flame. 

                                Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis.

Bottle Gourd Curry in Milk

          This is my version of a simple Bottle Gourd (Lauki) curry cooked in milk. It is light on the stomach as it has minimum of spices. This veggie in general has a lot of water content and is low in fat. Hence it aids in weight loss and is recommended during summers for its cooling effect. I garnished the end product with some idli podi and coriander leaves to give an extremely different flavour. Enjoy this dry recipe as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

• 1 medium size Lauki (bottle gourd), sliced
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. idli podi
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat ghee in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder and milk. Cover and simmer on a low flame till it turns soft and the gravy is dry.

          Add the idli podi and coriander leaves. Mix well and take off the flame. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Lau Ghonto (Bottle Gourd Curry - Bengali Style)

          This is a typical homemade style Bottle Gourd curry that is very commonly made in many Bengali household. Bori / vadi / dried lentil dumplings are used to prepare this simple recipe for a crunchy effect. 

          It is cooked with minimum of spices, the dominant flavour comes from the coriander leaves and the ghee that is added to the end product. It goes well as a side dish with both rice and chapattis. For the non-veg. version, generally it is cooked with prawns or fish head. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 medium size bottle gourd, diced
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 8-10 bori / dried lentil dumplings
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• salt of taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder 
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the lentil dumplings and fry till golden in colour.

          Now add the diced bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and green chilies. Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low flame till they turns soft and the moisture dries up. (Add water if needed)

         When done, add ghee and coriander leaves and give it a stir. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds. Then add dried lentil dumplings
                      & fry till golden in colour.

                     Add diced bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder & green 
                     chilies. Mix well & cook, covered on low flame till tender & done.

                     (Add water if required).

                        Then add ghee & coriander leaves & give it a stir.

                                Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.