Lauki Ki Sabzi/Sabji recipe is a simple and healthy curry prepared with Bottle Gourd (aka Lauki, Doodhi, or Ghiya) in an onion-tomato base and a few Indian spices. Today I am sharing the Lauki Ki Sabzi recipe made in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Vegan, Gluten-free, Keto, and Low-carb.
Lauki is a popular choice for a quick and nutritious meal. This low-calorie vegetable, sometimes referred to as bottle gourd, ghiya, or doodhi, is a wonderful treasury of nutrients ideal for maintaining our health. This green vegetable has a neutral flavor and is simple to cook with.
It may be made into various amazing meals by combining desi masalas and other condiments in an intriguing way. Due to its bland flavor, lauki is frequently disliked by people, but no more! We have discovered a delicious lauki ki sabzi recipe that would make a mouthwatering meal!
Today I prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT. You can use any equivalent electric pressure cooker like Mealthy Multipot.
Jump to:
- What is Lauki (Bottle Gourd)?
- Health Benefits of Bottle Gourd
- What Is Lauki Ki Sabzi?
- Why You'll Love This Bottle Gourd Curry
- Ingredients for Lauki Ki Sabzi
- How to Make Lauki Ki Sabzi Recipe?
- How to Serve Lauki Sabji?
- Storage
- Tips & Variations to make Lauki Ki Sabzi
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Indian Lauki Recipes
- More Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes
- Lauki Ki Sabzi (Bottle Gourd Curry) - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
What is Lauki (Bottle Gourd)?
Lauki or bottle gourd is also known as calabash, long melon, which is a vine grown for its fruits, either harvested young or used as a vegetable in most parts of the world. This fresh, tender vegetable has a pale green smooth skin and white flesh inside. - Source Wiki
There are many names for Lauki, it's known as Bottle Gourd in English. In some other Indian languages, it's also called lauki, dudhi, ghiya, sorekai, sorakaya, churakka, dudhi bhopala, lau. They are also known as Cucuzza, Calabash, Opo Squash in other countries.
Health Benefits of Bottle Gourd
Bottle gourd has always been one of the healthiest vegetables. This vegetable is full of water, about 92%, and has rich nutrients and minerals to keep your body hydrated. It also helps in weight loss, cools your body, helps digestion, and helps in treating sleeping disorders.
This Lauki Sabji/Sabzi is a Keto or Low carb recipe; make sure to use a moderate amount of onions and tomato. If you are on a Keto or Low Carb Diet, Checkout my Keto Indian Food Recipes Collection.
You can prepare this lauki ki sabzi/sabji recipe in three ways Instant Pot, a Stovetop pressure cooker, and a stovetop pan. I have shared steps to make it in all three ways.
What Is Lauki Ki Sabzi?
This low-calorie dish, made with bottle gourd, onion, tomatoes, curry leaves, and a few spices, is light and filling. You may serve it with simple chapati, rice, and other dishes.
Why You'll Love This Bottle Gourd Curry
- Ready in under 25 minutes.
- Healthy, Low-calorie, and comfort food.
- It pairs well with Indian flatbreads like roti or rice.
- One-pot recipe.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly recipes.
Ingredients for Lauki Ki Sabzi
- Lauki (bottle gourd): I have used 1 medium lauki, about 500 grams (appx 3.5 cups when chopped), in this recipe. Wash the bottle gourd, peel the skin, and discard any seeds. Cut into ½ inch pieces else, small pieces of lauki will get mashed in the pressure cooker. Lauki is readily available in any Indian grocery or Asian store.
- Green chilies: Lauki vegetable tastes mild. To make this doodhi curry spicy, I used two green Thai chilies, you can skip it if you like.
- Ginger: I have used only ginger in this lauki curry recipe. You can also add freshly minced garlic and ginger or ginger-garlic paste.
- Curry leaves: Adding curry leaves gives a unique flavor to this lauki sabzi. I definitely suggest not skipping it.
- Onion: Use finely chopped onions that form the base for this curry. You can skip it if you are making no onion no garlic recipe.
- Tomatoes: I used finely chopped Roma tomatoes to make the base for this curry. You can also puree the tomatoes instead and add them if you wish.
- Oil: I used coconut oil, you can use any cooking oil.
- Dry spices: I used turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and amchur powder. You can increase or decrease the spices according to your choice.
- Coriander leaves: are used for flavor and garnishing.
How to Make Lauki Ki Sabzi Recipe?
Preparing the Lauki/Bottle Gourd
Wash the bottle gourd and cut off the top and bottom ends using a sharp knife.
Peel off the skin with a peeler and cut it in half lengthwise. Also, remove large seeds, if any.
Now cut each into bite-size ½-inch cubes.
Instant Pot Method
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
Then add minced ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves. Saute for a few secs.
Add chopped onions. Saute till the onions are soft and translucent.
Next, add tomatoes and all the dry spices like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook for two minutes or till tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
Then add the lauki pieces and water. Mix everything well.
Note: If your Instant Pot has shown BURN in the past, add an extra two tablespoons of water. Also, Deglaze the bottom of the pot using liquids to remove any stuck bits to avoid a BURN alert.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
Remove the lid away from you, squeeze lemon juice, and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well.
If there is any excess water, change the setting to SAUTE mode and cook until you get the desired consistency.
Instant pot Lauki Sabzi (Bottle Gourd Curry) recipe is ready, serve hot with chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the same process mentioned above for Instant Pot. Give 1-2 whistles on medium heat and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.
Stovetop Pot Method
Follow the same process mentioned above for Instant Pot. Cover Kadai with a lid and cook till lauki gets soft on medium flame. Do stir once or twice in between. Once lauki is cooked, add garam masala and garnish it with cilantro. All the other steps remain the same for Bottle gourd curry.
How to Serve Lauki Sabji?
Serve lauki sabzi as a side dish with roti, chapati, phulka, or steamed rice. You can also serve it along with the lentils of your choice, like dal tadka, masoor dal, and salad, for a wholesome lunch or dinner.
Storage
- To Store: Leftovers stay good for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: Freeze in freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat lauki curry in a microwave or stovetop until warm, and serve. If it's frozen, defrost first and then reheat.
Tips & Variations to make Lauki Ki Sabzi
- Make sure to choose a bottle gourd that is fresh, has smooth skin, is pale green, and is free from any cuts. It should not be soft when pressed.
- Add dal - You can also add lentils like chana dal, and moong dal to this ghiya sabzi. Soak the chana dal for 1-2 hours, and then add them along with lauki in the pressure cooker.
- Add veggies: Vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, green peas, and beans pair well with this curry. If you cannot find lauki near you, You can swap bottle gourd with other vegetables like ridge gourd (peerkangai), chayote squash (chow chow), zucchini, yellow squash, or pumpkin.
- Add coconut milk (or cream): You can add ¼ cup of full-fat coconut milk or cream at the end to make the sabzi rich and creamy.
- Spices: You can increase or decrease spices according to your preference.Spices: You can increase or decrease spices according to your preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Lauki is low in carbs and is a great vegetable for the diet.
Bottle gourd is low fat, and high in water content. It is full of fiber
which helps you feel fuller for longer.
Store the lauki sabzi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
More Indian Lauki Recipes
More Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes
- Black Eye Pea Curry (Lobia Curry)
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Chickpea Coconut Curry
- Rajma Masala
- Navratan Korma (Vegetable Korma)
- Zucchini Stir Fry
- Mushroom Masala
If you’ve tried this lauki ki sabzi recipe or any other recipe on Indianveggiedelight, then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see the latest recipes!
Lauki Ki Sabzi (Bottle Gourd Curry) - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml
- 500 grams lauki (bottle gourd) peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces (about 3.5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
- ¼ cup water
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or ½ teaspoon of amchur powder)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro)
Dry Spices
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
Preparing the Lauki/Bottle Gourd
- Wash the bottle gourd and cut off the top and bottom ends using a sharp knife. Peel off the skin with a peeler and cut it in half lengthwise. Also, remove large seeds, if any.Now cut each into bite-size ½-inch cubes.
Instant Pot Method
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
- Then add minced ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves. Saute for a few secs.
- Add chopped onions. Saute till the onions are soft and translucent.
- Next, add tomatoes and all the dry spices like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook for two minutes or till tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
- Then add the lauki pieces and water. Mix everything well.Note: If your Instant Pot has shown BURN in the past, add an extra two tablespoons of water. Also, Deglaze the bottom of the pot using liquids to remove any stuck bits to avoid a BURN alert.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Remove lid away from you, squeeze lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well. If there is any excess water, change the setting to SAUTE mode and cook until you get the desired consistency.
- Instant pot Lauki Sabji (Bottle Gourd Curry) recipe is ready, serve hot with chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Instructions
- Follow the same process mentioned above for Instant Pot. Give 1-2 whistles and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.
Stovetop Pot Instructions
- Follow the same process mentioned above for Instant Pot. Cover Kadai with a lid and cook till lauki gets soft on medium flame. Do stir once or twice in between. Once lauki is cooked, add garam masala and garnish it with cilantro. All the other steps remain the same for Bottle gourd curry.
Video
Notes
Tips & Variations
- Make sure to choose a bottle gourd that is fresh, has smooth skin, is pale green, and is free from any cuts. It should not be soft when pressed.
- Add dal - You can also add lentils like chana dal, moong dal to this ghiya sabzi. Soak the chana dal 1-2 hours, and then add them along with lauki in the pressure cooker.
- Add veggies: Vegetables like potato, sweet potato, green peas, and beans pair well with this curry. If you cannot find lauki near you, You can swap bottle gourd with other vegetables like ridge gourd (peerkangai), chayote squash (chow chow), zucchini, yellow squash, or pumpkin.
- Add coconut milk (or cream): You can add ¼ cup of full-fat coconut milk or cream at the end to make the sabzi rich and creamy.
- Spices: You can increase or decrease spices according to your preference.
Nutrition
Other Recipe Collections to Try from my blog
Arrachme says
Beautiful presentation. I am very grateful to have found your site.??????
bhavana says
Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂
Anonymous says
Looks fantastic, can't wait to try this. Thank you for sharing.
bhavana says
You are welcome..let me know how it turned out ,once you try it.
Peeaarkay says
V gpod
bhavana says
thank you
Malathi says
A very simple recipe and the dish is yum, thanks
bhavana says
Thank you so much..glad you liked it.
anita rao says
Easy to make and sounds very tasty
bhavana says
Thank you anitha 🙂
Deepthi Kumar says
Nice and tasty . Especially for roti.
bhavana says
Thank you :)Glad you liked it.
Amit says
Looking forward to making this. I tracked down some green bottle gourd which is not easy where I live. Have you tried this with regular American squash? Does it taste the same?
bhavana says
Hey Amit..I havent personally tried any dish with american squash..Should taste something similar,Let me know how the bottle gourd curry turned out for you?..
Vijay Kumar K says
Thanks Ms Bhavna for the guidance to make Ghiya
bhavana says
You are welcome Vijay ? Thank you for trying our the recipe ?
Minisha says
Fast and easy and at the same time tasty. Perfect timing with the instant pot! Thank you.
bhavana says
Thanks for sharing your feedback Minisha:)
David Nicholson says
Used Cucuzza for the gourd and added half a tin of coconut milk to bring down the heat. Beautiful
bhavana says
Wow thats lovely combo ,i love butternut squash with coconut milk.Thanks for letting me know David.Do try other recipes & share your feedback.
Maryrose Fuscaldo says
She is a star in her own galaxy.
Bhavana Patil says
Thank you so much Maryrose 🙂 Have a great day.
Jenelle says
I found this vegetable at the market, and the vendor told me I could juice it. But then a friend told me her mom used to cook, so I came in search of recipes. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. It was an incredible collection of flavours and textures. I particularly liked the punch of lemon added at the end. Next time, yes there will a next time, I plan to try some of the variations. But next time I will cut my lauki pieces a little smaller. Nice recipe...thank you.
Bhavana Patil says
Hey Jenelle, thanks for sharing your feedback. Bottle Gourd is a very healthy vegetable and low in carbs and calories.. so it's one of my fav vegetables, you can also make soups, yogurt dips.. please look for the recipes from my blog. You can little spice up the curry as bottle gourd is bland by nature. Hope this helps!
A says
Thank you for taking your time to put this together. I’m making it right now as I type
Couple observations:
You forgot a lemon in your list of ingredients (thankfully i had some in the fridge).
I am using an IP, and On the first part 0f the description you said to use the natural release, but under the list of ingredients you said quick release… I made a combination of both because I wasn’t sure which way was the correct one. Veggies came out ok - not too overcook. Nice flavors.
Thank you again
Bhavana Patil says
Oops, thank you so much for highlighting the typo Kania. I went ahead and fixed it. Appreciate your feedback here, have a great day 🙂