I have successfully fought the urge to shop for the past two weeks. I’m referring to grocery shopping especially vegetable/Indian groceries as I tend to stock them up until I don’t have space in my refrigerator or my pantry as if an apocalypse is waiting to happen. I have taken an official oath in front of my husband that I’m gonna cook vegetables from the vegetable drawer as well as my frozen compartment before heading out to the stores. I don’t know if I can be very creative with limited vegetable choices that I have on hand and hence started to search blogs for some inspiration. I didn’t have to dig deep as I found an excellent source of recipes in Priya’s blog (Priya’s Versatile Recipes) and I’m sure you’ll join me in echoing my thoughts that her recipes are truly versatile.

My family is very partial to food, especially when it comes to vegetables. Some vegetables such as potatoes get a VIP treatment, I don’t have to flavor this vegetable much just cook and serve but some vegetables such as Lauki aka Bottle gourd is to be disguised or flavored with other unusual combos to get accepted. I don’t know when the vegetables are gonna wage a war against us. The moment I started writing about war, my computer started blinking as though agreeing to my thoughts and it took me couple of minutes to calm my unsettling thoughts. Enough of thinking and off to the recipe. The combination of Lauki/Bottle gourd and Chole/Garbanzo Beans is so unusual along with wonderful aroma of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) making this dish absolutely flavorful and delicious. I served this gravy with tofu & corn paratha and I’m sure they can be equally enjoyed with roti or any kind of bread. Do let me know your thoughts!

Step-by-Step Pictorial:

Heat oil, add fennel seeds, ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add chopped onions and saute till the onions turn golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn soft.

Add Lauki/Bottle gourd, cooked garbanzo beans, cooked garbanzo beans paste. Add Chole masala, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Mix well.

Add water and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Remove from fire, add crushed dry fenugreek leaves and lime juice. Serve hot with your choice of bread. Enjoy!!!

Lauki Chole

Ingredients

Bottle Gourd — 1 medium ( about 1.5 cups roughly chopped in cubes)
Channa (Kabuli) — 1 cup (soaked overnight and cooked to soft) or 1 (15oz) canned garbanzo beans washed and rinsed
Onion — 1 medium (approx 1 cup finely chopped)
Tomatoes — 2 large (about 3/4 cup chopped)
Chole Masala Powder (I used Everest Brand) — 1 Tbsp (if preferred spicy or else reduce the amount per taste)
Fennel Seeds — 1 Tbsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste — 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli Powder — 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder — 1/4 tsp
Kasuri Methi (Dry Fenugreek Leaves) — 1 Tbsp
Lemon Juice — 1/4 tsp
Cooking Oil — 1 Tbsp
Salt — to taste

Instructions

Cook pre-soaked garbanzo beans until soft. Take half cup of cooked garbanzo beans and grind to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a wide pan. Add fennel seeds and ginger-garlic paste. Let it fry for a minute. Add chopped onions and saute till onions turn golden brown. Now add tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
Add chopped Lauki/Bottle Gourd, cooked chole/garbanzo beans, ground paste. Add chole/channa masala, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Mix well. Add enough water, simmer and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Once the gravy thickens and chole/channa has absorbed all the masala, remove from flame. Add lemon juice and crushed dry fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi(just take the fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi and rub them between the palm of your hands). Serve hot with your choice of bread. Enjoy!!!