Bottle gourd popularly known as lauki across India and lau in Assamese is one of the vegetable bears a neutral flavor on the palate and is super easy to cook with and can be included in various ways. It is a versatile vegetable you can make savory to sweet dishes, and it can be transformed into spectacular dishes. In Assamese cuisines, even seeds are ground used in preparing nice thick creamy gravy with fish. Include bottle gourd in your daily diet to get multiple health benefits, that will make you embrace it wholeheartedly.
A little bit of creativity can result in some lip smacking preparations that can wow your family. This recipe of poached eggs in bottle gourd curry is handed down by my grandmother, lau bilahi is popular recipe among Assamese community and this version with poached egg is delicious and an eye appealing. You must try who is in love with this vegetable. Here goes mingle of savory, sweet and sour taste with poached egg doused in light gravy.
INGREDIENTS :
500 grams bottle gourd, chopped
2 tomatoes, grated
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of turmeric
5 eggs
Mustard oil for cooking
METHOD :
First peel the skin of bottle gourd and chopped. Wash it and keep aside.
In a skillet, heat oil and add cumin seeds, when it begins to splutter, add chopped onions and stir it. Put chopped bottle gourd in it and stir it well, add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Stir it continuously for a minute or two. Cover it and cook in simmer.
Remove cover and stir it again, when it it almost cooked, add grated tomatoes, mix it well. Add pinch of sugar, and cook for another few minutes. Break each egg on top of this curry one by one and cover it.Let it cover for at least 5 minutes. Remove from gas and serve hot with steamed rice.
Enjoy with steamed rice or roti !!