Aloo Lauki ki sabzi

Simple eating and healthy living, this is the fact that is being forgotten in this age of drive-thru and dial a pizza. Aloo lauki or as we gujju's call it dudhi bataka nu shaak, is a simple dish but with tons of flavor borrowed from garlic and ginger along with a dash of garam masala. Simple to make, easy on stomach, low on calories and lots of fiber. What else do we want from a dish which almost does workout in gym for us?!!!

Ingredients :
1 medium sized potato cut into cubes
1 pound Lauki/bottle gourd cut into cubes
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 green chillies slit
2 sprigs kadhi patta/curry leaves
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida/heeng
1 tbs oil for tempering
salt as per taste
1 to 1 1/2 cups water

Preparation method :

In a pressure cooker add oil, cumin, mustard. once the seeds start to crackle add hing and curry leaves. Then add ginger garlic paste and slit green chillies. Saute for a 20 seconds, add cubed potato and bottle gourd, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and water.

close the lid of pressure pan and cook it untill 2 whistles on medium heat and there after 3 mins on low heat.

let the pressure subside, which takes almost 15 mins or so, then open the pan and add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves.

serve hot along with chapati or rice.

For those who are on diet regime, they can subtract potato frm this dish and prepare only lauki sabzi. Also reduce the oil to 1 tsp.