Bottle Gourd Kurma is a healthy curry recipe made with the bottle gourd (lauki) cooked together in an aromatic spicy kurma or korma masala made of coconut, cashews, and other spices in the Instant Pot pressure cooker or Stovetop. Vegan, Gluten-free, and Keto Friendly.
Being a South Indian, I often prepare a variety of kurma recipes at home, such as vegetable kurma and navratan kurma. Kurma is a flavorful curry prepared with vegetables, along with coconut, yogurt, spices, and nuts or seed paste. The ingredients used in kurma can vary depending on regional preferences and traditions.
Today, I’m sharing a delicious bottle gourd kurma recipe made in the pressure cooker. I used coconut and cashew nuts as the base. Also, check out the stovetop pressure cooker recipe instructions below for those who do not have an Instant Pot.
Bottle gourd is known by many names — in Indian languages, it's called lauki, dudhi, doodhi, ghiya, sorekai, or sorakaya. Internationally, it’s also referred to as Cucuzza, Calabash, or Opo Squash.
You may like Indian Lauki Recipes from my blog lauki ki sabji, lauki chana dal, bottle gourd paratha, lauki soup, and lauki raita.
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How to Make Bottle Gourd Kurma in Instant Pot
Wash 1 small lauki (bottle gourd), peel the skin, deseed if any, and cut into ½ inch pieces. You should get about 2 cups of bottle gourd pieces for the recipe.
Grind ¼ cup fresh shredded coconut, 6-8 cashews (or 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds), 2 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds) optional to a smooth paste.
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Next, add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, and 2 chopped green chiles. Saute for a few seconds.
Add 1 small onion (finely chopped) and saute until onions turn light brown.
Next, add 1 large tomato (finely chopped), spices like ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, and cook till they turn soft.
Then, add ¾ cup water and deglaze the pot to remove any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Add in 2 cups of diced bottle gourd (lauki), ground coconut-cashew paste, salt, and mix well.
Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.
Once the pot beeps do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
Remove the lid away from you, add 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and garnish with 2 tablespoons coriander leaves. Mix well.
Lauki Kurma recipe is ready, serve hot with pooris, chapatis, roti, and parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the same steps as Instant Pot, close the lid, place a whistle, and cook for 2-3 whistles on medium flame. All other steps remain the same.
What to Serve with Bottle Gourd Korma?
Serve bottle gourd kurma with poori, chapati, paratha, or basmati rice.
Expert Tips
- You can add fried gram/putani (or poppy seeds) while grinding instead of cashew nuts. It also helps to make the gravy thick. But I like adding cashews because it would give a nice creamy texture and thickness to the kurma.
- Adjust the consistency of the kurma by adding the required amount of water.
Variations
- You can use ½ cup of full-fat thick coconut milk if you do not have grated coconut.
- You can also add ½ cup of fresh or frozen peas, it makes the dudhi kurma recipe more tasty and healthy.
- You can replace the bottle gourd with the vegetable of your choice like beetroot, chow-chow, ridge gourd, etc.
More Instant Pot Indian Curry Recipes
Bottle Gourd Kurma (Sorakkai Kurma) - Pressure Cooker
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small lauki (bottle gourd) peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 large tomato finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¾ cup water
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Grinding
- ¼ cup shredded coconut (fresh or frozen)
- 6-8 cashews (or 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds) optional
Instructions
- Wash bottle gourd, peel the skin, deseed if any, and cut into ½ inch pieces.
- Grind coconut, cashews, cloves, cinnamon, saunf, to a smooth paste.
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Next, add ginger-garlic paste, and green chiles. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add onions and saute until onions turn light brown.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes, spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, and cook till they turn soft.
- Then add the water and deglaze the pot to remove any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the diced bottle gourd, ground coconut-cashew paste, salt, and mix well.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
- Remove lid away from you, add lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
- Lauki Kurma is ready, serve with hot with pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Follow the same steps, close the lid, place a whistle, and cook for 2-3 whistles on medium flame. The bottle gourd Kurma recipe is ready to serve.
Notes
Tips & Variations:
- You can add Roasted Bengal Gram/fried gram/putani or poppy seeds while grinding instead of cashew nuts. It also helps to make the gravy thick. But I like adding cashews because it would give a nice creamy texture (and increase calories) and thickness to the kurma/curry.
- Adjust the consistency of the Kurma by adding the required amount of water.
- If you do not have grated coconut, you can use ½ cup of full fat thick coconut milk.
- You can also add ½ cup of fresh or frozen peas, it makes the dudhi kurma recipe more tasty and healthy.
- You can replace Bottle gourd with the vegetable of your choice like beetroot, chow-chow, ridge gourd, etc.
Nutrition
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