Bottle Gourd (Calabash)

ORIGINS

Southern africa

TASTE

Slightly bitter

AYURVEDA & MEDICINAL USES

Ayurveda recommends cooked lauki or bottle gourd for better digestion. It is cooling, calming, diuretic and anti-bilious.

Bottle gourd is not only rich in essential minerals, iron, protein and trace elements; it is also rich in fibre.

Ancient Ayurveda says that bottle gourd prevents premature graying hair. Drinking fresh bottle gourd juice in the morning on a regular basis can be very useful.

NOTABLE FACTS

Bottle gourd first has been used as a water carrier, but quickly found divers uses in making pipes, snuff boxes, musical instruments and cricket cages. Containers crafted from the rind of the gourd were in constant use as bottles for carrying wine and water make the name “Bottle Gourd” espically appropriate for the crop.

TRY-ME RECIPES

Blanch the bottle gourd in boiling water. Peel, de-seed and split horizontally. Pour the marinade over the bottle gourd and set aside for an hour. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds followed by the remaining ingredients for the filling. Stir-fry for 5 minutes. Set the filling inside the bottle gourd and secure with string.Wrap in a foil and bake in a very hot oven for 15-20 minutes.Serve hot with mint/coriander chutney.