Milk Gourd or Calabash Gourd is known by various names in India - Doodhi, Lauki, Ghia. It has a mild, almost neutral taste that goes well with most things. Combined with yogurt, as in this simple, tasty dish, it tastes great with pilafs, meat curries and daals (lentil dishes).
Ingredients:
- 1 medium doodhi/ lauki (250 gms/ 1/2 lb approx), peeled and grated
- 1 cup fresh, unsweetened yogurt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh green coriander
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly roasted and then ground to a coarse powder
Preparation:
- In a deep pan, heat 2 cups of water to boiling. Add the grated lauki to this boiling water and stir. Cook for 1 minute and strain. Allow the lauki to cool. When cool, press down in the seive/ colander to squeeze out all excess liquid.
- Put the yogurt, sugar, red chilli powder, salt to taste and chopped coriander in a mixing bowl and blend till smooth.
- Add the cooled lauki, cumin powder and stir to blend.
- Chill in the refrigerator and serve.
