Lauki Ki Sabzi (Bottle Gourd Curry) - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

4.82 from 37 votes

Lauki Ki Sabzi is a simple and healthy curry prepared with Bottle Gourd (aka Lauki, Doodhi or Ghiya) and few spices.

Course Main Course

Cuisine North Indian

Keyword bottle gourd curry, instant pot lauki sabji, lauki ki sabji

Diet Keto, Low Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 94kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.