Lauki Paratha & Lauki Raita: Two Delightful Recipes You Must Try

We all frequently hear about the struggle to lose weight, but we rarely hear about the struggle to gain weight. You might be startled to learn that it is, in fact, a sensitive subject for many. Gaining weight or building muscle can be as challenging for some people as losing the weight is for others.

A weight-gain programme may initially look like a chance for indulgence. Simply grab some French fries and give it a try. Unfortunately, healthy weight growth involves more than simply including junk food in your regular meals, just as good weight loss necessitates a balanced approach. 

Lauki Paratha 

• Ingredients:
• 2 cups grated lauki 
• 1-2 green chilies (finely chopped) 
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp ajwain
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt, as required
• Oil or ghee 

Method:

• Wash, peel, and grate the lauki in a bowl.
• Add salt as needed, along with the finely chopped chilies, garam masala powder, and carom seeds/ajwain.
• If you don’t have green chilies, use red chilli powder as a substitute.
• Toss and combine everything thoroughly.
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 cups of whole wheat flour after that.
• Mix the flour with the lauki mixture and knead to a smooth soft dough. 
• Do not add water as you are kneading, lauki fluids are sufficient to knead dough.
• If the dough starts to become sticky, add extra flour and knead the dough once more.
• Pinch up a small to medium-sized dough ball.
• Start rolling the dough ball with a rolling pin on the rolling board.
• If required, add extra flour as you roll.
• Lay the rolled paratha on a heated tava or griddle.
• Use a spatula or tongs to flip it after one side is partially done.
• Drizzle some oil or ghee with a spoon on the partially cooked side, depending on your choice, you can use more or less oil.
• Flip it over once again and brush the second side with ghee or oil.
• Repeat the flip a few times.
• Additionally, press the paratha's sides during roasting to ensure that the edges are well cooked.
• Roast the paratha until it is well done and has some golden or brown spots on it.
• Serve lauki paratha with raita like carrot, beetroot, or makhana raita or simple curd or yoghurt. It can also be had for breakfast, lunch, or as an after-dinner snack. You can also pack it for tiffin boxes.

Lauki Raita

Ingredients:

• ¾ to 1 cup grated bottle gourd 
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• 1 cup curd
• 1 to 1½ cup water
• ½ to 1 tsp finely chopped green chilies 
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 pinch garam masala (optional)
• Black salt or salt, as required

Method:

• Wash and peel the bottle gourd.
• The lauki should then be grated or shredded and set aside. 
• In a pan, combine the grated lauki and 1 to 1½ cups of water.
• Keep the pan over the flame and stir thoroughly.
• Next, add salt to it.
• Cook and simmer the bottle gourd until it softens.
• In a strainer, strain the cooked bottle gourd.
• Once the bottle gourd has been cooked, press with a spoon to remove all the water, you can also press it in your palms.
• Whip fresh cold curd till smooth.
• Add the chopped green chilies and the cooked lauki.
• Add black salt or ordinary salt, a dash of garam masala powder, and the powdered cumin that has been roasted.
• Mix thoroughly.