The summer is upon us, and in this scorching weather it is ideal to give your tummy a break from all heavy and spicy food. In this sweltering heat, our digestive system yearns for light, cooling foods. Thankfully, India has no dearth of such foods. Take, for instance, our summer gourd vegetables. Lauki, tori, tinda and karela are an intrinsic part of India’s summer fare. While the veggies may not be very popular among many people, some may find these veggies boring and bland – but even the naysayers will agree to the fact that they are some of the healthiest additions you can make to your diet at this time. And as far as taste and flavour is concerned, you would be surprised to know the innumerable ways in which you can prepare lauki or bottle gourd, making it not only healthier and more wholesome but also super delish. We have one such recipe, which is sure to unite both dieters and non-dieters. But before we get to the recipe, let’s have a look at the health benefits of bottle gourd:

(Also Read: How Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Can Promote Weight Loss)

• About 95 percent of bottle gourd is just water – it hydrates and replenishes your body with many nutrients.
• Hundred grams of bottle gourd contain only about 15 calories.
• It contains negligible amount of saturated fat and cholesterol.
• It is super low in carbohydrates as well; therefore, it is ideal for people who are cutting back on carbs
• It is a treasure trove of antioxidants that help fight inflammation and free radical damage.

Lauki is very low in calories

Stuffed Lauki Recipe:

This stuffed lauki recipe comes with the goodness of peppery and blanched bottle gourd, and the stuffing is made of cumin seeds, onions, green chilly, tomato, garlic and paneer. Yes! Tell us the last time you added paneer to something and it did not turn out to be stellar? Paneer is super-versatile, yummy and high in protein. Serve this stuffed lauki hot with mint and coriander chutney.

Find the recipe of stuffed lauki here.

You can be as creative as you want to be with the filling – you can even throw in your favourite kind of cheese on top. Cheese is said to be good fat, if only they are consumed in moderation.

(Also Read: 11 Best Bottle Gourd Recipes | Easy Lauki Recipes)

Try this delicious recipe at home and let us know how you liked it in the comments section below!

(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)