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Lau Ghonto

Lau ghonto (Dry Bottle Gourd Curry)

Nothing is more refreshing on a hot summer day than lau ghonto, bottle gourd cooked in its own juices with peas and badis.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali, Indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g bottle gourd / lauki / (or lau)
  • 1/2 cup fresh peas
  • 10 - 15 fried badi (dried lentil dumplings)
  • 1 tsp paanch phoron (paanch phoron is a mixture, equal parts of cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fennel seeds (saunf),fenugreek seeds (methi) and nigella seeds(kalaunji). You can prepare the mixture and keep in an air-tight container for months)
  • 1-2 dry red chillies
  • 3 - 4 green chillies slit
  • 1/2 cup coriander leaves roughly chopped
  • 2.5 tbsp mustard oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt to taste

Method
 

  1. Peel and wash the bottle guard, cut into thin round slices and shred them lengthwise. Keep aside.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp oil, fry badis till golden. Keep aside.
  3. Heat the remaining oil, add the paanch phoron and dry red chilies. When the spices start spluttering, add the chopped bottle guard. Sprinkle a little salt and sugar. Turn the heat to low and let the gourd cook in its own juices.
  4. When the gourd starts turning tender, add the peas and green chillies. Keep cooking till the water has almost dried up.
  5. Add sugar and salt to taste. Add the fried badis and cook for another 2-3mins.
  6. Add the chopped coriander leaves and finish with the ghee. Serve with rice.