Lauki Ka Bharta

Ingredients

• 750 gm Bottle Gourd / Lauki
• 3 medium Tomatoes / Tamatar (350 gm)
• 2 Green chili/hari mirch (chopped)
• 1 tsp Ginger / Adrak (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder / Haldi Powder
• 1.5 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
• To Taste Salt
• 4 tbsp Fresh Coriander / Cilantro / Hara Dhaniya
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice / Nimbu Ka Ras
• Pinch Sugar / Chini (optional)
• 4 tbsp Cooking oil
• 2 tbsp Clarified Butter / Desi Ghee (optional)
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds / Sabut Jeera
• 1/3 tsp Asafoetida / Hing powder
• 2 Dried Red Chili, Whole

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash and peel the lauki/ bottle gourd (try to select tender fresh lauki for making bharta)

2. 2

   Discard the hard mature seeds and chop lauki into small pieces.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in the pressure cooker and add the chopped lauki pieces and saute for a minute.

4. 4

   Add 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for at least 3-4 whistles or cook till it become soft and mushy.

5. 5

   Open the cooker when it cool down completely then drain the water and mash the cooked lauki with a ladle or slightly mash with a hand blender, don't make a fine paste ,just make a coarse paste. (use the drained water in any curry or to make the chapati dough)

6. 6

   Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan and add cumin seeds, when cumin start crackling then add asafoetida and the dried whole red chilies.

7. 7

   Now add the chopped tomatoes and green chilies, saute for a minute and then cover with a lid and cook till tomato become soft.

8. 8

   Now add kashmiri chili powder and turmeric in the tomato mixture and cook till oil start releasing from the sides.

9. 9

   Now add the mashed lauki ,salt, sugar and chopped ginger in the prepared tomato puree and cook for at least 5 minute on medium heat. keep stirring it.

10. 10

    Switch off the heat and add lemon juice, fresh chopped coriander and ghee in the bharta and mix well

11. 11

    Serve hot lauki bharta with chapati or paratha.