Mystery Vegetable

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added 9 months ago

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I think its a calabash squash, it doesn't appear to be fully ripened. Here is a link, scroll down a bit and you will see a picture.
http://www.thenibble.com...

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Thanks so much sdebrango!! My neighbor is from India and I was sure they are something she used that I was not familiar with. Since your answer I have looked up indian recipes using calabash squash and have found quite a few. I guess I'll give them a chance to ripen and try some new recipes.

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PistachioDoughnut added 9 months ago

I thought first it is bottlegourd. but, looking at the above link it looks like calabash..Indians use a lot of bottlegourd in cooking..usually this is the perfect color for ripe one. peel the skin and use it . you can make subji, or a dessert just like gajar ka halwa...

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Thank you Pistachio! Am I correct to understand "subji" just means vegetable dish and gajar ka halw is the desert usually made with shredded carrots? I'm thinking I can use it in place of any vegetable of like consistancy.

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PistachioDoughnut added 9 months ago

Yes, subji is exactly what is eplained below. You can make it with a combination of potaotes and calabash with cumin seeds and Indian spices. or you can also combine it with "chana dal" makes an amzing dish. and, yes gajar halwa is exactly what you understood it. just replace carrots to calabash. The idea of kofta is also delightful..enjoy

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This seed company seems to say that bottle gourd and calabash are the same!
http://www.evergreenseeds...

In any case, I would let it ripen a bit more, then use it like a bottle gourd. You are right that subji/sabji/sabzi is a vegetable dish, usually in a sauce. Thus, search "lauki ki sabji" to find lots of basic recipes online. But my favorite is lauki made into kofta (fried dumplings in spiced sauce).

I have not tried this recipe but it looks good:
http://showmethecurry.com...

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