Raise your hand if you are one of those who get sad seeing a 'lauki ki sabzi' on your dining table. If we notice closely, there are hardly a few people who enjoy having lauki. You like it or not, avoiding lauki is impossible! Also known as bottle gourd or ghia, it holds a special place in Indian cuisine and is considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables, especially during the summer season. Lauki belongs to the cucumber family, making it ideal for a light and soothing meal during the season. It is known to everyone that lauki can be served in different forms- from juice to halwa. But what do you do with the peels? The most common answer will be 'throw away in the dustbin'.
How will you react if we say, lauki peels taste better than lauki? Yes, you heard it right! Lauki peels can be turned into a tasty dish, making it a comforting addition to your lunch menu. The dish is called bottle gourd peel stir-fry, or as Bengalis call it 'lau-er khosha bhaja' (it is a very common recipe in a Bengali house-hold). Apart from its delicious taste, lauki peels are also known to have some amazing health benefits.
Also Read: Hate Lauki? We Bet This Popular Dessert Made With Bottle Gourd Will Change Your Mind!
Health Benefits Of Lauki Peels:
They are rich in fibre which is said to be good for digestion and better metabolism. They are also dubbed to be beneficial for managing diabetes and blood sugar. The low calorie content in lauki as a whole may also help in reducing weight.
Also Read: How Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Can Promote Weight Loss
Here's The Recipe For Bottle Gourd Peel Stir-Fry (Lau-Er Khosha Bhaja):
Ingredients:
Julienne the peels of 1 lauki
Finely slice 1 onion
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
1-2 dry red chilli
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder
Salt as per taste
Sugar as per taste
Oil to fry
Method:
Heat oil in a kadhai.
Add nigella seeds and dry red chilli and sauté till the seeds crackle.
Add the julienne lauki peels and fry for 2 minutes.
Add onion and fry them till the onions turn brown and lauki peels gets well cooked.
Add salt and sugar and cook for 1 minute. Don't add salt and sugar earlier; if done so, the dish won't be crunchy.
Enjoy the lauki ka chilka fry with steamed rice and some ghee. You can also have it as an accompaniment with your comforting dal-chawal or khichdi. Try this recipe and let us know your feedback!
About Somdatta SahaExplorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day.