This fried tender bottle gourd seed snack is a beautiful example of a zero-waste traditional dish, where farmers thoughtfully used every part of the vegetable they grew, wasting nothing. What many consider kitchen scraps today were once transformed into simple, nourishing snacks with just salt, chilli powder and love. Sadly, such mindful cooking practices are slowly fading away, making this a forgotten recipe worth reviving.
For me, this dish brings back precious childhood memories. I fondly remember relishing these delicious seeds with my friends after dance classes, at a family home where our classes were held..They would lovingly prepare and serve these snacks to us, and the taste still lingers in my memory—simple, rustic, and comforting. Recreating this recipe now feels like reconnecting with those carefree days and the wisdom of our traditional kitchens.
Note: Finding the right seeds today isn’t always easy—store-bought bottle gourds are often either too tender, making the seeds inseparable and destined to go into the main dish.
Preparation & cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
Bottle gourd seeds (from young lauki) – 1 cup , neither hard nor too soft
Ghee– 1-2 tsp
Red chilli powder – to taste
Salt – to taste
Optional: a pinch of chaat masala or pepper powder
Method
- Scoop out tender bottle gourd seeds while cutting the bottle gourd for any dish. Keep the seeds aside/ refrigerate for later use.
- Take ghee in a wok/ pan. Add the seeds and switch on the stove.
- Add red chilli powder and salt. Mix well so the seeds are evenly coated.
- Fry, stirring occasionally, until the seeds turn translucent.
- Sprinkle chaat masala or pepper powder if using.
- Serve hot.
Comments
Post a Comment