Bottle gourd and prawns, two very different flavours, come together in a dish that is rich in nutrition as well as taste. If you want to cook something simple at home in little time, lau chingri can be a great choice.

The aroma of light spices, the softness of the gourd and the sharp flavour of the prawns can easily win over the whole family. With little time, simple ingredients and a familiar home-cooked taste, it can be the highlight of today's table. Here is the recipe.

First, shell the prawns and wash them well. Mix in a little salt and turmeric, cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the bottle gourd, wash it and cut it into small pieces.

Put a pan on the stove and heat oil. When the oil is hot, fry chopped onion until light brown. Add turmeric powder and green chillies, then add the marinated prawns and fry well, stirring.

When the prawns are partly fried, add the cut gourd and stir-fry for a while. Then cover and cook. When the gourd is soft, add salt to taste and let it cook, covered, on a low flame a little longer. Finally, sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top before turning off the heat, and the lau chingri is ready.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.