Bottle Gourd (Loki)

Lauki or bottle gourd is one of the healthiest vegetables out there but also happens to be disliked by many for its bland taste and pale looks. Yet, it happens to be a regular on our dinner plates. We all know how our mothers and grandmothers sheepishly try to feed us with this food in one form or another - be it in a mixed vegetable sabzi or soup or even halwa. Our constant outcry, grumbling and protest fall on deaf ears and we are left with no choice but to finish the lauki dish to the last bite. What is it about lauki which makes it so popular that it somehow manages to make its way into our regular diet? Bottle gourd holds a special place in Indian cuisine as many health experts, nutritionists and Ayurveda practitioners promote it as a must-have food. Lauki belongs to the cucumber family and thrives in warm and humid parts of the world. It makes for a light meal, which is really helpful in the weighty weather of summers.