Dahi lauki

Jun 30, 2020
By Mary Anthony
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LAUKI IN CURD / KASHMIRI DUDHI YAKHNI / YAKHNI LAUKI / DAHI LAUKI / AL YAKHNI / DOODHI YAKHNI

Yakhni is a light curry or broth made using yogurt and saffron among other ingredients.Yakhni refers to a light curry or broth which has to include two main ingredients other than the meat – yoghurt and **saffron (kesar). The yoghurt lends in richness to the broth while saffron adds a tempting yellow hue.**

Al Yakhni is a Kashmiri delicacy which is made using bottle gourd and a yogurt based gravy. It is mostly served with Steamed Rice. I is a dish from Kashmiri pandit cuisine which does not use onion and garlic. akhni is usually made with non veg items but this can also be made with vegetables . The most popular ones are made with lauki and lotus stem.

In Kashmiri the meaning of ‘AL ‘ is lauki and yakhni is a yogurt based thin curry.Fried bottle gourd slices are simmered in a flavourful thin yogurt curry. The curry is flavored with fennel, ginger,cardamom and regular spices used in Kashmiri cuisine.

Traditionally it is cooked in mustard oil but you can any cooking oil of your choice. Al yakhni is quite simple and easy to cook recipe.It is served with steamed rice or rotis.

Kashmiri Al Yakhni (Bottle Gourd in Yogurt Gravy)

Best part of preparing Al Yakhni is that it is made using some of the very basic ingredients and it is very easy to prepare it as well. Al Yakhni has a beautiful taste as well as aroma which is evenly enhanced by all ingredients used in it …

Here in the recipe I have avoided deep frying to reduce oil intake. Also I have made the process easy into a one pot cooking .

INGREDIENTS

Tender bottle gourd – 500 grams [ Peeled and chopped ]
Fresh curd – 1 cup [ not sour ]
Maida – 1 tsp
Oil + ghee – 2 tbsp
Whole garam masala – 1 big cardamom + 1/2 inch cinnamon stick + 2 cloves + 5 black pepper + 1 green cardamom
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
green chilli paste – 1 tsp or as per taste
Fennel seeds powder – 1 tsp [saunf ]
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Cumin seeds / shahi jeera – 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Green coriander leaves finely chopped – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar – ½ tsp
Kasoori methi – 1 tsp [ optional ]
Saffron – few strands soaked in 2 tbsp milk [ optional ]

PREPARATION

Wash gourd and dry completely. Peel , disacard if there .
Chop into small pieces and keep it in a bowl of water till use. Usually they are chopped in roundels . I chopped it small , so that my kids don’t make fuss in eating .
Mix the fennel seeds pwdr + coriander pwdr + maida with curd . Add ¼ or ½ cup water ,whisk and keep aside till use.

CLICK ON THE LINK FOR FULL VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUXMtYZpRaM

METHOD

Heat oil + ghee in a cooker .

Add whole garam masala and let it splutter .[ don’t burn it ]

Add the chilli paste + ginger garlic paste and stir fry .

Add the lauki and stir fry for 5 mins.

Add salt + sugar and give a mix.

Add little water and mix.

Cover and pressure cook upto 3 whistles.

Allow the pressure to release.

Once pressure release , open the cooker.

Remove the black cardamom and discard , so that it does not infuse more flavour .

Add the curd , mix well .

Cook on medium low flame for a min , keep stirring and off the flame.

The gravy has to be thick .

Add kasoori methi + saffron and give a mix .

Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with steamed rice with any side dish .

NOTES

Instead of dudhi we can use any gourds like tinda /parwal /white pumpkin etc even lotus stem .
Instead of green chilli paste we can use red chilli pwdr .
The recipe asks for dry ginger pwdr , I replaced it with 1 tsp ginger garlic paste . You can either use 1 tsp dry ginger pwdr or 1 tsp grated ginger .
I did not add saffron as i wanted white gravy .
The curd has to be fresh , not sour .