Lauki Ki Sabzi | Bottle Gourd Curry Recipe

Every Indian mom has that one vegetable her kids always tried to avoid. In our house, it was lauki ki sabzi. I remember making faces at my plate while my mom insisted that I finish every bite. She would say "you'll thank me later" and honestly, she was right. Now I'm the one making Lauki Ki Sabzi for my own family, and the cycle continues!

The funny thing is that my boys actually ask for it now. I think it's because the Instant Pot makes it so soft and the tomato base gives it such a nice flavor. It's nothing like the mushy, bland lauki I remember from childhood. This one has a little kick from the green chilies and that beautiful golden color from the turmeric. My husband even takes leftovers for lunch the next day.

When I'm tired after a long day and don't want to stand over the stove, this is what I make. The Instant Pot does all the work. I just chop everything, press a few buttons, and dinner is ready. It's become one of those recipes I can make with my eyes closed.

Jump to:

• What is Lauki?
• How to pick the best bottle gourd?
• Ingredients
• How to make the best Bottle Gourd?
• Soniya's Top Tip
• How to cut Lauki / bottle gourd?
• Best Tips
• Common Mistakes and Solutions
• Storage
• How to Serve
• What do I Serve with
• Made this recipe? Tag us on Instagram!
• Lauki Sabzi Recipe

What is Lauki?

Lauki is a super food, healthy, easy meal. It is perfect for weeknight dinners or times when you don't have much energy to cook. This is rich in dietary fiber both soluble and insoluble and hence a great ingredient for weight-loss diet. It consists of 96% water. It's low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

You may see lauki called bottle gourd in English, but it has many names. You might also know it as dudhi, ghiya, or sorakaya in India.

Bottle gourd is very popular during the warmer months. It is easy on the stomach and aids in digestion, which makes it a good choice for people who are not feeling well.

How to pick the best bottle gourd?

When you are buying bottle gourd, you should both look at and feel the outside of the gourd. It should be firm all around and a light or pale green color. It should also be slender and feel light in weight. If it is mushy or has brown spots or browning, it is no longer good.

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

• Lauki (bottle gourd): the star of this dish. It cooks down to a soft, almost creamy texture that soaks up all the spices. Make sure to peel it and cut into even pieces so everything cooks at the same time.
• Oil or ghee: for sauteing the onions and blooming the cumin seeds. Ghee adds a richer flavor but oil works fine too.
• Cumin seeds: these give the dish that warm, earthy smell when they hit the hot oil. Don't skip the blooming step because that's where all the flavor comes from.
• Green chilies: add heat and freshness. Chop them up or leave them whole if you want less spice. You can always add more at the end.
• Onion: builds the base of the curry. Sauteing them first adds sweetness and depth to the final dish.
• Tomato: gives the sabzi its tangy taste and helps create a light gravy. Fresh tomatoes work best.
• Water: just enough to help build steam for pressure cooking. The lauki releases water too so you don't need much.
• Turmeric powder: adds that beautiful golden yellow color. A little goes a long way.
• Black pepper powder: sprinkled at the end for a mild heat that's different from the green chilies.
• Salt: adjust to your taste.
• Cilantro leaves: fresh cilantro at the end makes everything taste brighter and look pretty too.

How to make the best Bottle Gourd?

Bottle gourd is very easy to make.

•  Prep the lauki Wash the bottle gourd really well. Peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler and cut into half inch pieces. Try to keep them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. You should have about 3 cups of chopped lauki.
• Start the saute Turn on your Instant Pot and press the SAUTE button. Wait until it says "Hot" on the display. Add the oil or ghee to the inner pot.
• Bloom the cumin Drop in the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. You'll hear them crackle and pop. That smell is everything! This takes about 30 seconds.
• Cook the onions Add the chopped onions and green chilies. Stir them around for about 2 minutes until the onions start to soften and turn a little clear around the edges.
• Add tomatoes and spices Toss in the chopped tomatoes, salt, and turmeric powder. Give it a good stir. Now add the lauki pieces and mix everything together so the vegetables are coated with the spices.
• Add water and scrape the pot Pour in the 2 tablespoons of water. This is really important. Use your spoon to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Trust me, you don't want to get the burn notice.
• Pressure cook Press CANCEL to stop the saute mode. Close the lid and turn the valve from VENTING to SEALING. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 5 minutes on high pressure.
• Quick release When the timer goes off, carefully do a quick release by turning the valve to venting. Wait until all the steam is out before opening the lid.
• Finish and serve Open the lid and add the chopped cilantro and black pepper powder. Give it a gentle mix. Your Lauki Ki Sabzi is ready to serve hot with roti and dal!

How to cut Lauki / bottle gourd?

• Slice of the ends To start, wash the gourd and use a sharp knife to remove the stem at both ends.
• Peel - Next, use a sharp knife or peeler to remove the skin from the lauki.
• Cut into half  - Once the skin is removed, Make the bottle gourd stand upright (to avoid slipping while cutting along the round side) on the board and cut it into half  and the quarters lengthwise 
• Cut it- into roughly ½ inch pieces.
• You can also remove any large seeds as you are cutting the pieces.

Best Tips

• Pick a lauki that feels heavy for its size and has pale green skin with no soft spots.
• Cut all the pieces the same size so they cook evenly in the pressure cooker.
• Let the cumin seeds fully crackle before adding onions for maximum flavor.
• This sabzi tastes even better the next day once the flavors have time to blend.
• Add more green chilies if you like it spicier or skip them for a milder version.

Common Mistakes and Solutions

Common Mistakes

Mistake	What Happens	How I Fix It
Not scraping the pot	Burn notice error	I always scrape the bottom after adding tomatoes before closing the lid
Cutting lauki unevenly	Some pieces mushy, some undercooked	I take extra time to cut all pieces about the same size
Skipping the cumin bloom	Flat, bland flavor	I wait for the cumin to fully crackle and smell fragrant before moving on
Using too much water	Watery, soupy sabzi	I stick to just 2 tablespoons since lauki releases its own water

Storage

Can It Be Saved?	How Long?	How to Store
Yes, leftovers reheat well	3-4 days in fridge	Airtight container
Freezable?	Yes, up to 2 months	Freeze in portions, thaw overnight

How to Serve

Lauki Ki Sabzi is best served hot right out of the pot. Spoon it into a bowl and serve alongside warm roti for scooping. A bowl of dal on the side makes it a complete meal. You can also serve it over plain rice if that's what your family prefers.

What do I Serve with

Serve Lauki with these awesome recipes

Are you an vegetarian Indian food lover? Then you will love our recipes

• Navratan korma
• Rajma Chawal
• Jeera Rice
• Palak Paneer
• Bhindi Masala
• Dal tadka

This Instant Pot Lauki Ki Sabzi is proof that simple ingredients can make a delicious meal. Give it a try and I bet even the lauki skeptics in your family will ask for seconds!

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