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Tender bottle gourd simmered in a fragrant, creamy yogurt gravy, spiced with fennel and ginger. This classic Kashmiri dish is light, flavorful, and a perfect comforting meal when paired with steamed rice.
For 4 servings
Prepare the yogurt base. In a medium bowl, add the dahi (yogurt) and besan (gram flour). Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Once hot, add the cubed lauki (bottle gourd) and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges are light golden brown. This step adds a nutty flavor. Remove the lauki with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same ghee, add the whole spices: dalchini (cinnamon stick), hari elaichi (green cardamoms), badi elaichi (black cardamom), and laung (cloves). Sauté for 30-40 seconds until they become fragrant. Then, add the hing (asafoetida) and stir for another 10 seconds.
Carefully pour in 1.5 cups of water and add the salt. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Add the sautéed lauki cubes back into the pan.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the lauki is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
Turn the heat down to the absolute lowest setting. Wait for 30 seconds for the pan to cool slightly. Slowly pour the whisked yogurt-besan mixture into the pan in a steady stream, while stirring continuously and vigorously with your other hand. This is the most crucial step to prevent the yogurt from curdling.
Once the yogurt is fully incorporated, add the saunf powder (fennel powder) and sonth (dry ginger powder). Continue to cook on low heat, stirring gently and constantly, for 5-7 minutes until the gravy thickens slightly and comes to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil rapidly.
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Tender bottle gourd simmered in a fragrant, creamy yogurt gravy, spiced with fennel and ginger. This classic Kashmiri dish is light, flavorful, and a perfect comforting meal when paired with steamed rice.
This kashmiri recipe takes 45 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 212.81 calories per serving with 5.63g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Turn off the heat. Garnish with crushed dried mint leaves. Let the yakhni rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.
Replace lauki with 250g of lightly fried paneer cubes or boiled lotus stem (nadru) for a different texture and flavor.
Use other neutral vegetables like zucchini or chayote squash instead of bottle gourd.
For a more indulgent version, blend 1 tablespoon of soaked cashews into a paste and add it along with the yogurt mixture for a creamier gravy.
Add a pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon of warm milk at the end of cooking for a beautiful aroma and subtle color.
The base of this dish is yogurt (dahi), a natural probiotic that introduces beneficial bacteria to the gut, aiding digestion and improving overall gut flora.
Bottle gourd (lauki) has a high water content of over 90%, which helps in keeping the body hydrated. It is also extremely low in calories and rich in fiber, making it ideal for weight management.
The recipe uses traditional spices like fennel powder (saunf) and dry ginger powder (sonth), both of which are well-known for their digestive properties, helping to prevent bloating and indigestion.
This dish provides a good balance of nutrients, including calcium and protein from yogurt, vitamins and minerals from bottle gourd, and healthy fats from ghee.
Yes, it's a very healthy dish. It is low in calories, rich in probiotics from yogurt which aids gut health, and uses bottle gourd which is hydrating and high in fiber. The use of ghee in moderation provides healthy fats.
One serving of approximately one cup contains around 150-170 calories, making it a light yet satisfying main course, perfect for a healthy diet.
Curdling usually happens due to high heat or unstable yogurt. To prevent this, always whisk yogurt with a stabilizer like besan, ensure the heat is on the lowest setting when adding it, and stir continuously until it's gently heated. Never let it boil rapidly after adding the yogurt.
Traditional Yakhni relies on dairy yogurt. You can try substituting it with a thick, unsweetened plant-based yogurt (like cashew or almond), but the flavor and texture will differ. Ensure you still use besan to stabilize it.
Lauki Yakhni pairs best with plain steamed basmati rice, which perfectly complements the delicate, flavorful gravy. It can also be served with Jeera Rice or a simple roti.