Last weekend, I had an exhilarating ride to Korlai, and on my way back, I stumbled upon some incredibly fresh bottle gourd (lauki) in Poynad! If you’re a biker heading to Alibaug or Mumbai, you know Poynad is the ultimate pit stop. With Thursday designated as a vegetarian day at home, I saw a golden opportunity to whip up something special with this humble veggie. Instead of sticking to a basic lauki curry, I let my creativity run wild and decided to pair lauki with paneer, crafting a rich, gooey curry bursting with mild spices. The result? An utterly scrumptious dish that absolutely steals the show at the dinner table! Trust me, you won’t want to miss out on this culinary adventure—give it a try!
Stuffed Lauki Curry
Ingredients
Lauki – 500 gm
Paneer – 150 gm
Kasoori methi – 3 tbsp
Cashews – 8 to 10
Dry Red Chilli – 4 to 5
Tomato – 3
Onion – 1
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt as per taste
Vegetable Masala – 1tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Procedure
1) Cut lauki into thick round pieces, boil for 6 to 7 minutes, and drain. Scoop out the centre.
2) For Paneer Stuffing –
Sauté 1 chopped onion, 2 to 3 green chillies in ghee. Add 150 g of grated paneer, salt and chopped coriander. Let it cool. Leave aside the remaining paneer mixture to use later in the gravy.
3) Fill the lauki rings with paneer mix. Cook in a ghee-brushed pan until golden on both sides.
4) For the gravy –
Sauté 1 chopped onion in 1/2 tbsp ghee, 3 tomatoes, 4-5 dried red chillies, cashews, and salt. Cook till soft. Add 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder, 1tsp haldi, 1 tbsp vegetable masala, 1 tsp garam masala. Cook well. Cool and blend with the remaining paneer and add one cup of water until smooth.
6) Transfer the gravy into a pan, add water, red chilli powder and kasoori methi. Bring to a boil.
7) Remove from fire. Arrange the stuffed lauki in a serving dish and pour the gravy on top. Your Paneer Stuffed Lauki is ready.
