Nourishing Lauki Kadhi-Pakode-Quinoa Bowl

Rice bowls continue to be trendy and fun! The star of this bowl is the dudhi Bhopla/ lauki/ bottle gourd, a vegetable well-known for its health benefits.

I set out to create a healthy, nutritious dish with lauki. The challenge is to enhance the delicate taste of the doodhi/lauki without overpowering it with spices and aromatics.

Hence was born Lauki Kadhi-Pakode- Quinoa Bowl  in which the  ‘lauki pakode’ or fritters are not fried but made in an aape/ebelskiver pan. The pakode itself are packed with nutrition as they have whole brown lentils for protein and nutrition and sprouted methi/feunugreek seeds.

Check out the recipe for these hearty pakode.

The kadhi, made of yogurt is also protein rich and delicious. And the quinoa mirrors the flavors scented with cumin seeds and flavored with the dudhi/lauki. All 3 of the components can be made simultaneously, so it is a quick and easy meal to make as well.

Enjoy this wholesome meal in a bowl! Here is the detailed step by step recipe and the pictorial to make the wholesome, non fried pakode.

Note- 1 cup = 1 big katori (between 225 and 250 ml)

Nourishing Lauki Kadhi Pakode Quinoa Bowl

Ingredients-

For the pakode-

• 1/4 kg (about ½ pound) doodhi/lauki/ bottle gourd, grated
• 1 cup whole masoor/ lentils, soaked for 8 hours or so and then drained
• ¼ cup sprouted methi/fenugreek seeds
• ½ inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 small green chili pepper (or according to taste)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander and cumin powder (dhania jeera masala)
• A handful of cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste
• About 2 to 3 tablespoons besan/ gram flour
• 2 teaspoons oil to cook the pakode

For the Kadhi-

• 1 cup plain yogurt/curd
• 1 ½ cups water
• Sugar to taste (if yogurt/curd is sour)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons besan/gram flour
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon ajwain/ova
• 2 dried red chilies or according to taste
• 8~10 curry leaves

• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida/ hing powder
• ½ inch ginger, peeled and grated

For the quinoa-

• ¾ cup quinoa
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ kg (about ½ pound) dudhi/ lauki cut into bite size pieces (2 cups of pieces)
• 1 cup water
• Salt to taste

To make the Nourishing Lauki- Kadhi- Pakode -Quinoa Bowl!

1. To make the pakode, squeeze the grated lauki and use that lauki juice to grind together the lentils/masoor, fenugreek/methi sprouts, ginger and chili.
2. Remove this to a bowl and add the grated lauki, turmeric powder, chili powder, dhania jeera powder, cilantro and salt. Mix and add besan as needed. (I needed only 2 tablespoons). Divide mixture into 12 parts and make balls.
3. Heat the aape/ebelskiver pans with a few drops of oil in each indentation. Lower the heat, add a ball of the pakode mix in each indentation and cook covered for about 3 to 4 minutes on low heat. Turn the balls, add a few drops of oil in each indentation and let the pakode cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked through and golden and crispy outside. Remove and set aside.
4. To make the kadhi, whisk together the yogurt, besan/gram flour,water, salt and sugar (if using). Set aside.
5. In a saucepan/cooking pot over medium heat, add the ghee, cumin seeds, ajwain/ova, red chilies and the curry leaves. When they crackle, add the turmeric powder, asafetida/ hing powder and the grated ginger.
6. Give a quick stir and add the yogurt mixture. Stir and let the kadhi come to a simmer. Simmer for a couple of minutes and remove from heat/
7. For the quinoa, dry roast the quinoa in a saucepan/ cooking pot for about 3 to 4 minutes. You will hear it sizzle. Remove from heat into a bowl. To the same saucepan/pot add the ghee and the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds sizzle, add the cut lauki pieces and stir for a minute to coat them with the ghee and cumin flavor. Add the quinoa, stir well and add the water. Add salt to taste.
8. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook covered for about 15 minutes. Shut off the heat and let the quinoa absorb the moisture for about 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Each grain of the quinoa will be cooked and separate.
9. To serve, in a bowl, add pakode, top with kadhi and serve with quinoa.

Hope you enjoy this wholesome meal as much as we did! This is going to be a regular on our menu rotation now.

Love,

❤️

Sandhya