Lauki Ki Sabji/Sabzi recipe is a simple and healthy Indian curry prepared with Bottle Gourd (aka Lauki, Doodhi, or Ghiya) in an onion-tomato base and few spices and is popular in all regions of India. Today I am sharing the Lauki Ki Sabji recipe made in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and is a vegan, gluten-free, keto, and low-carb recipe.
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 and 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 minerals to keep your body hydrated. It also helps in weight loss, cools your body, helps in digestion, 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.
This lauki ki sabzi/sabji recipe can be prepared in three different ways, Instant Pot, Stovetop pressure cooker, and on a stovetop in a pan. I have shared steps to make in all 3 ways.
Lauki Sabji Ingredients:
- lauki (bottle gourd): I have used 1 medium lauki, about 500 grams (appx 3.5 cups when chopped). Wash the Bottle Gourd, peel the skin, discard any seeds and cut into ½ inch pieces else small lauki pieces will get mashed in the pressure cooker. Lauki is easily available in any Indian grocery or Asian store.
- Green chilies: Lauki vegetable is generally mild. To make this curry spicy, I have used two green Thai chilies, you can skip it if you like.
- Ginger: I have used ginger in this lauki curry recipe, you can also add minced garlic along with ginger.
- Curry leaves: Adding curry leaves gives a unique flavor to this lauki sabzi. I definitely suggest not skip it.
- Onion: I have used finely chopped onions for this recipe as the base. You can prefer to skip it if you are making no onion no garlic recipe.
- Tomatoes: I have used Roma tomatoes to make the base for this curry. You can also puree the tomatoes instead and add if you wish.
- Oil: I have used coconut oil in this recipe, you can use your preferred vegetable oil.
- Dry spices: I have 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: I have used coriander leaves for garnish.
How to Make Lauki Ki Sabji?
Firstly, wash Bottle Gourd, peel the skin and cut it into ½ inch pieces.
Instant Pot Method
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once hot, add cumin seeds, let them splutter.
Then add minced ginger, green chili, and curry leaves. Saute for 30 secs.
Add chopped onions. Saute till it turns light brown in color.
Next, add tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes till the tomatoes turn soft.
Then add all the dry spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, lauki pieces, water, salt, and mix well.
Make sure to Deglaze the pot, scrape any spice that is sticking to the inner pot in order to avoid the BURN alert.
Close the lid on the pot and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position.
Furthermore, Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and timer to 5 MINUTES. When the instant pot beeps, do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
Remove lid away from you, squeeze lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves and mix well.
BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add an extra 2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the pot before pressure cooking. You might have to put the instant pot on SAUTE at the end and adjust the consistency of the curry according to your preference.
Lauki Sabji (bottle gourd curry) Instant pot 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 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. 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.
How to Serve Lauki Sabji?
Bottle Gourd Curry can be served as a side dish with roti, chapati, or steamed rice along with lentils of your choice like dal tadka, masoor dal.
Tips & Variations
- Make sure that the bottle gourd has smooth skin, pale green in color, and free from any cuts. It should not be soft when pressed.
- Also make this dal with other vegetables like ridge gourd (peerkangai), chayote squash (chow chow), zucchini, yellow squash, or pumpkin.
- You can also add lentils like chana dal, moong dal to this ghiya sabzi.
Related FAQs
Yes! Lauki is low in carbs and is a great vegetable for the diet.
Is Lauki good for weight loss?
Bottle gourd is low fat, high in water and fiber content, which makes it low in calories and density per gram.
Other Indian Lauki Recipes that you may like from my blog
If you liked this, then check out more Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes below
- Black Eye Pea Curry(Lobia curry)
- Navratan Korma(Vegetable Korma)
- Zucchini Stir Fry
- Beetroot & Chickpeas Stir Fry
- Mushroom Masala
If you are looking for more such easy Instant pot curry recipes then check out my 25+ Indian Curry Recipes collection.
Lauki Ki Sabji (Bottle Gourd Curry) - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml
- 500 grams lauki (bottle gourd) peeled and chopped about ½ inch pieces (about 3.5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 2 green chillies finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 small tomatoes finely chopped
- ¼ cup water
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or ½ teaspoon of amchur powder)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves)
Dry Spices
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Wash Bottle Gourd, peel the skin and cut into ½ inch pieces.
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil in to the POT.Once hot, add cumin seeds, let them splutter. Next add minced ginger, green chili and curry leaves. Saute for 30 secs.
- Add chopped onion and saute till onions turn light brown in color.
- Next add tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes till tomatoes turn soft.
- Add all the dry spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder ,garam masala powder, lauki/bottle gourd pieces, water, salt and mix well.Deglaze the pot i.e., Make sure to scrap any spice that is sticking to the pot, to avoid BURN alert.
- Close the lid on the pot and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position.
- Furthermore, Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and timer to 5 MINUTES. When the instant pot beeps, do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
- Remove lid away from you, squeeze lemon juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves) and Mix well. Lauki Ki Sabji is ready, serve with hot with chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Follow the process mentioned above until step 4Give 1-2 whistles and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.
Stovetop Pot/Kadai Method:
- Follow the process mentioned above until step 4.Cover pan/kadai with a lid and cook till lauki gets soft. Do stir once or twice in between. Once lauki is cooked add garam masala, lime juice and garnish with cilantro.All the other steps remain the same.
Notes
- BURN ALERT ? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add 2 tablespoon of water and deglaze the pot before pressure cooking. You might have to put the instant pot on SAUTE at the end and adjust consistency of the curry according to your preference.
- Make sure that the bottle gourd has a smooth skin, is pale green in colour and free from any cuts. It should be not be soft when pressed.
- Try with other vegetables like ridge gourd (peerkangai), chayote squash (chow chow), zucchini, yellow squash or pumpkin.
- You can also add lentils like channa dal ,moong dal.
- 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 🙂