Lauki (Bottle Gourd) ka raita

Raita is one of the main side dish . The bottle gourd raita is not very famous, but it's a perfect combination that goes very well with any stuffed parathe. Lets explore a simple receipe to make this delicious raita.

Arrange the following ingredients before starting the actual preparation: 

Ingredients:

• Bottle gourd -1/2
• Curd - 2 cups
• Roasted cumin powder – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Sugar – ½ tsp
• Salt (according to your taste)
• Cooking oil – 1 tbsp 

Ø  For tadka:

• Black mustard (rai) – ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
• Red chilli - 2
• Green chilli - 1
• Ginger (finely chop) – ½ tsp
• Fresh Curry leaves – 7-8
• Asafetida (hing) – a pinch
• Oil – 1 ½ tbsp 

Procedure :

1.     First scrub the outer skin of bottle gourd.

2.     Then wash it and grate finely.

3.     Now, squeeze out the juice* and keep the grated bottle gourd in a vessel.

4.     Take a non-stick pan and heat it on medium flame (temperature).

5.     Now pour oil into the pan and heat it on low flame.

6.     Put grated bottle gourd into the pan and keep stirring for 5 mins.

7.     Then add turmeric powder to it and stir properly. If  the grated bottle gourd gets dry, then sprinkle bottle gourd juice into the pan.

8.     On the other side, take a glass bowl and pour curd in it.

9.     Add sugar and salt to the curd in the bowl.

10.    Now take a frying pan and heat it on medium flame.

11.   Put jeera in the pan and roast it.

12.   When the jeera gets roasted , cool it and grind it.

13.   Now add jeera to the curd, mix well and keep aside.

Ø For tadka :

 

1.     Take a non-stick pan and heat it on medium flame.

2.     Pour oil in the pan and heat it.

3.     Put black mustard in the heated pan.

4.     When it starts sprinkle, put cumin seeds and curry leaves in it.

5.     Now add red chilli, green chilli and ginger in it and fry it.

6.     Then add a pinch of asafetida in it.

7.     Fry it for 5 minutes and cool it.

8.     Mix the grated bottle gourd and tadka to the curd.

9.     Mix well and chill it.

10.   Serve the raita chilled. 

*Juice : Keep the juice in a bowl. It can be used while frying grated bottle gourd. If it gets dry, then sprinkle the juice over the dry grated bottle gourd.