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Lau Ghonto

Finely cut bottle gourd slow-cooked with ginger, cumin, a little milk and crisp dal bori, finished with ghee. A gentle, everyday Bengali niramish dish.

Ingredients

• 1 medium bottle gourd (lau), about 800 g, peeled and finely chopped
• 12 dal bori
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp ghee
• ½ tsp bhaja moshla (roasted cumin and dry chilli powder)
• salt to taste

Method

1. Heat mustard oil and fry the bori on low for 1 minute till golden. Remove.
2. Add bay leaves, dry red chillies and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
3. Add the bottle gourd, salt and turmeric. Stir, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. It will release a lot of water.
4. Add ginger paste, cumin powder and green chillies. Cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, till most of the water dries.
5. Pour in the milk and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes till thick.
6. Crush the fried bori lightly and stir in. Cook 2 minutes.
7. Finish with ghee and bhaja moshla. Serve with rice and dal.

Tip: Choose a young, tender lau with soft skin and no hard seeds. Do not add water; the gourd cooks in its own juice.