Bottle Gourd/ Suraikkai

Bottle gourd also called as calabash, opo squash, suraikkai, lauki, dudhi or long melon is a vegetable grown in vines. When harvested young, it is used as a vegetable but when allowed to mature, it can be used as a utencil or bottle. This vegetable has a great water content. The skin is little harder and the flesh is soft and white. 

There are so many recipes in which lauki can be incorporated. Lauki can be cubed or grated and used in dishes . This is also used in halwas.

Remove the stalk and cut the gourd into two.

Remove green coloured skin.

Cut each half into quarters.

Remove the seeds.

Cut each quarter into thin stripes.

Cut the stripes into cubes.

You can also grate the quarters to use it up in halwas and kheers.