A while ago, we were visiting our friends, a couple, both doctors with expertise in different fields but joined by their common love for people. While casually talking about cooking, recipes, and blogging Doc.Se; that’s what we all call her lovingly, happened to mention that she doesn’t like to follow any recipe since she rarely makes the same dish again. What she cooks is often guided by what’s on hand and makes it nutritious. She often suggests her patients to make healthy substitutes for managing diabetes and maintaining good health.
This Lauki Shorba here is one such recipe that I watched her make. Doc.Se called it ‘Cream of Lauki Soup’ but without the added calories of cream; she substituted it with milk. Here I have eliminated cream & milk entirely for a dairy-free version. The cooked & blended bottle gourd creates a thick and creamy texture by itself. For an indulgent version you can choose to add dairy-free cashew cream just before serving.
I like to try different varieties of soups. I feel soups are versatile. You can serve them with some buttered toast and make a meal of it. Since I’m not a tea or coffee person. Instead we sip on hot soup in mug while watching sunset over a little chat. Soups are one of the simplest ways to get your daily dose of vegetables. If you are a soup lover too just like me, do check my other soup recipes too. I’m sure you’ll find many that’ll go on to becoming favourites in your home too.
- Aloo-Palak shorba | Potato-Spinach soup
- Beetroot Soup
- Bottle gourd/ Lauki Soup : a vegan recipe
- Cream of Mushroom Soup : dairy-free recipe
- Green Peas Soup – A vegan recipe
- Moroccan Red Lentil Soup
- Narangi Shorba | Orange Soup
- Pumpkin Soup
- Purple Cabbage Soup
- Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup
- Spinach Almond Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup
The proportions in this bottle gourd soup are something I worked on my own since she doesn’t believe in using measuring cups or spoons… she just eyeballs her ingredients just like so many seasoned cooks I know in my extended family. But if you’ve been following my work so far, you would know my love for proportions. I enjoy creating the same taste each time that I get around to making a recipe. That’s one of the many reasons I also like to document my recipes. This way I can share them with family & friends and with you – my lovely reader so you can recreate the same taste in your kitchen. Often times my husband and my son, like to follow recipes on my blog to cook without me hovering over them!
Bottle gourd also known as Calabash/ White-flowered Gourd/ Long Melon (English), Lauki/ Ghia/ Doodhi (Hindi) and Sorekai (Kannada) is very well-known for its health benefits. It’s water-rich, nutrient-packed, almost no-fat, and high fiber content qualities make it more desirable. It is highly advisable to include this vegetable in our regular meals, be it in the form of juice, sabzi or even soup. Even Instant Lauki Halwa tastes delicious, try it to believe it.
There are numerous ways to include lauki in your regular meals. Here are a few of them to get you started.
- Bharwa Lauki : Stuffed bottle gourd curry
- Bottle Gourd Soup : a vegan recipe
- Lauki Raita
- Lauki Kofta Curry : no onion/garlic recipe
- Sorekai Akki Rotti : a gluten-free recipe, akki rotti/ chawal ke aate ki roti/ rice flour flatbread is a breakfast speciality from Karnataka
- Instant Lauki Barfi : a quick dessert made with bottle gourd, without mawa
- Instant Lauki Halwa
- Lauki Kheer
- Lauki-Chana Dal Sabzi : one of the most popular ways to include lauki
- Lauki Thalipeeth : zero-rice recipe
Few things to watch out for before you get started:
- Always choose tender, small laukis. The seeds will not have formed completely in these. There will be more water content in the flesh. Flesh will be more supple. Seeds in mature laukis do not cook so well and will spoil texture.
- Check for bitterness of lauki. Cut and taste a small piece. If found bitter, it should not be consumed. Bitter ones are believed to cause health issues in rare cases.
Bottle Gourd Soup/ Lauki Shorba Recipe
Serves 3
1 Cup = 240 ml
Ingredients:
- For pressure cooking:
- Bottle gourd/ lauki – 700-800 gm
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
- Water – 1 cup
- Others:
- Garlic – 8 cloves
- Onion – 1, medium, finely chopped
- Water – 2 cup
- Olive oil – 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup
- Salt – 3/4 to 1 tsp approx
- Black pepper powder – 3/4 to 1 tsp
- Italian seasoning – 1 tsp
Instructions:
1) Rinse, peel and roughly chop lauki into one inch cubes.
2) Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 cup water.
3) Pressure cook for two whistles. Remove once pressure releases completely. Allow to cool down.
4) Peel & slice garlic, finely chop onion and half of coriander sprigs. Save the other half of coriander springs for grinding. Note: If you like a smoother texture in soup, blend all of the coriander leaves. Tastes equally delicious and lends a subtle green colour to the soup.
5) Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and finely chopped onion.
6) Saute until they turn light brown in colour. Turn off heat and cool down to room temperature.
7) Transfer to a blender jar. Add the cooked and cooled lauki also to the blender jar. Add half of the coriander sprigs along with stems.
8) Blend to a fine paste. Note: No need of adding any water. The water content in bottle gourd will be enough for blending throughout.
9) Transfer to the saucepan.
10) Add the remaining water.
11) Add black pepper powder, salt, Italian seasoning mix and chopped coriander leaves.
12) Mix well. Adjust consistency of the soup by adding water if at all required. Bring to a boil on low to med-low heat. Check and adjust taste if at all needed. Serve hot to enjoy the benefits to the fullest!
I topped the soup with some cashew cream because the son was craving for an indulgent soup!
How to make cashew fraiche or cashew cream – a vegan alternative to fresh cream?
- Soak 1/4 cup cashew nuts overnight or for 30 minutes in warm water. Add enough water to cover them completely.
- Drain water once they are hydrated.
- Transfer soaked cashew nuts to a blender jar and add 1/4 cup water. Blend to a very smooth paste.
- Can be used as an alternative to dairy-based fresh cream for topping your soup.
- Store any unused cashew fraiche covered in the fridge for upto 3 days.
If you happen to try this Bottle Gourd Soup Recipe; leave a comment, let me know how it turned out. Click a picture, send a DM or share on Instagram and tag @theredplatechronicles , I would love to see your creation. See more of my work on the hashtag #trpc and follow me on
Have a great day!
Love
M❤️
References:
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