Lauki may not be the most exciting vegetable on the dinner table, but there is much more to bottle gourd than the simple sabzi many of us grew up eating.
Known scientifically as Lagenaria siceraria, bottle gourd has been used by humans for thousands of years, not just as food, but also as a container, a musical instrument and even a floating vessel of sorts. Its history stretches across continents, while its high water content makes it a familiar vegetable in many Indian kitchens.
