This lauki curry is a South Indian style bottle gourd curry. The gourd is simmered with tomato and green chillies, then finished with a coconut oil tadka of mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies. Warm whisked yoghurt goes in last, so the gravy turns tangy and silky. It takes about 45 minutes on the stove, quicker with a pressure cooker and is best over plain steamed rice.
Lauki is a vegetable I knew about through my mother-in-law. She makes this curry often, with plain rice and a stir-fried vegetable on the side. We are Malayalees, yet she calls it "louki curry", the Hindi name, instead of chorakka. I have never asked why, and the name stuck on the blog too.
I never photograph this one properly. We drown the rice in it and drink whatever is left in the pot, so please forgive the pictures.
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Lauki curry is not lauki kadhi. There is no besan and no long simmer. It is a light tomato curry with a South Indian tadka, and the yoghurt goes in off the boil.
Ingredients
- Bottle Gourd: also sold as lauki, doodhi, opo squash or calabash.
- Green chillies: as per your taste and the variety you have.
- Ground spices: you only need turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
- Tomato: A large ripe one should do.
- Full-fat yoghurt: it gives the curry its body. Whisk it well and keep it at room temperature so it doesn't split when it meets the heat.
- Coconut oil: for the tadka. My mother-in-law calls this kaachioyichu, and my mother calls it thazhichu oyichu.
- Mustard seeds: Integral part of a South Indian tadka.
- Ginger, Curry leaves: duh! and dried red chillies
How to make?
First, keep the yoghurt ready. Whisk well and keep it on the counter to bring it to room temperature.
Then, cook the chopped lauki with spices and water. You may do this in a pressure cooker.
When the lauki pieces are almost cooked, they turn translucent.
Add the chopped tomatoes.
And cook until all or most of the water is reduced.
Make a quick tempering (tadka) in a smaller pan and pour over the cooked bottle gourd mixture. If your whisked yoghurt is still cold, switch off the pot and wait until it's ready to use.
Stir in the whisked yoghurt on a low to medium flame and continue to whisk gently until it starts to steam. Switch off and remove from the hob.
Remove the pot from the hob and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it with rice and a dry side such as Kerala chicken cutlets or Kerala beef fry. Add appalam and achaar. If you want a lighter yoghurt curry for another day, try my moru curry. For a lentil version of the same vegetable, there is my lauki chana dal.
Questions, Answered
Can I make lauki curry in a pressure cooker?
Yes. Cook the gourd with the chillies, turmeric, chilli powder and salt for 1 to 2 whistles, or 4 minutes with quick release, in an Instant Pot.
What do I do if the yoghurt splits?
If you catch it early, take the pot off the heat and whisk until it comes back together. If it has curdled badly, it can't be saved. Next time, keep the flame low and keep stirring until it just steams.
Can I reheat lauki yoghurt curry?
Yes. If it has been in the fridge, let it come to room temperature first. Then heat it on low until it steams and is warmed through. Always reheat on low from room temperature so the yoghurt doesn't split.
More South Indian Recipes
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Lauki Yoghurt Curry
Ingredients
For Lauki curry
- 300 grams chopped bottle gourd, approx 2 to 3 cups
- 3 to 5 green chillies, slit
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- water as required
- 1 large tomato, chopped roughly
- 2 cups whisked full-fat yoghurt, room temperature
- Salt to taste
For Tadka
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, optional
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 2 dried red chillies
Instructions
Prep the bottle gourd
- Trim the ends, peel the skin, cut it in half and then slice vertically into sticks. Remove and discard the seedy and spongy part. Chop into ½ inch pieces. Wash and keep them submerged in water until needed. You may do this a day ahead, but keep them in the water to retain freshness.
Cook the veggies
- Take a deep saucepot and add the chopped bottle gourd, green chillies, ground spices and salt. Pour in enough water to cook the bottle gourd.300 grams chopped bottle gourd approx 2 to 3 cups3 to 5 green chillies slit¾ teaspoon turmeric powder1 teaspoon red chilli powderwater as requiredSalt to taste
- Cook on medium flame until the bottle gourd pieces are translucent and almost cooked. Do stir in between and add more water if required. This will take between 20 and 25 minutes. You may do this in a pressure cooker.
- Once the water reduces and the bottle gourd is almost cooked, add the chopped tomato. Cover and cook until the tomato chunks turn mushy and all the water is reduced. Do stir occasionally to prevent it from burning. Bring the mixture to a full boil and then switch off.1 large tomato chopped roughly
Tadka
- Heat the coconut oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Next, add the ginger (if using) and curry leaves, and fry for a few seconds. Lastly, add the dry red chillies and switch off the heat. Swirl a few times and pour over the lauki curry. Let this cool before adding the whisked yoghurt.1 tablespoon coconut oil1 teaspoon mustard seeds1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger optional1 sprig of curry leaves2 dried red chillies
Add whisked yoghurt
- Prepare 2 cups of whisked yoghurt and let it sit on the counter until the curry cools. Stir in the whisked yoghurt and make sure it is mixed well with the curry, without any trace of yoghurt.2 cups whisked full-fat yoghurt room temperature
- Switch on the heat to a low to medium flame. Do not let the curry boil because it will cause the yoghurt to split and curdle. Keep stirring all the time until it steams. You can place your palm over the pot to sense if it has started to steam. Switch off and remove the pot from the hob.
Serve
- Serve warm lauki curry with rice, chicken cutlets and lime pickle.
Nutrition Info
Nutritional information is an estimate provided for informational purposes only. Values may vary based on ingredient brands, cooking methods, and portion sizes.
Anita says
Tried this today and it was such a comforting meal! I usually struggle to get my family excited about lauki, but this recipe changed it! Loved how simple it is. Served it with steamed rice and some papad on the side. Absolutely perfect. This one’s going into our weekly rotation. Thank you for sharing!