Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja - a stir-fry made with bottle gourd and potato peels! Does that sound intriguing? This delicious Bengali recipe transforms leftovers into a tasty dish. Let's explore the goodness of Bengali Khosha Bhaja!
Jump to:
- A family favorite recipe from Thamma's kitchen
- The Bangladesh Connection
- Cooking leftovers is not a new thing!
- Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja - Recipe tips
- Here's how I cook Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja at Debjanir Rannaghar
- Recipe Card
- Here's how to pair delicious Lau aar Aloo er Khosha Bhaja with other classic dishes
- Simple Bengali side dish recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar
- Have you tried the Bengali Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Lau aar Aloo-r Khosha Bhaja recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
What do you normally do after peeling vegetables like potatoes or bottle gourd? Most people would simply throw the peels away! But that's not the answer you'd expect from someone from Bengal. We often cook with vegetable peels. Surprised? Don't be! Believe me, when cooked the right way, potato and bottle gourd peels - either separately or together - can become an amazing stir-fry called Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja!
A family favorite recipe from Thamma's kitchen
When I asked about where this dish came from, two stories kept popping up. The first one comes from my father, who remembers his own mother, my Thakuma, making it. After my grandfather, Dadu, passed away in 1946, she was left to raise seven children alone at just 29 years old. My father was a baby then, only 11 months old, and his siblings were also very young. She poured everything she had into caring for them.
Because of my grandfather's sudden death, Thakuma struggled financially. She worked tirelessly to feed and educate her children. To make their food stretch further, she even used vegetable peels, cooking them into a dish, which is how this recipe, Khosha Bhaja began in our family.
The Bangladesh Connection
The other story I heard comes from a friend's grandmother, who came to India from Bangladesh during the partition of 1947. They had to leave their home and comfortable life behind, arriving in India with almost nothing, and a similar story of resourcefulness unfolded.
Cooking leftovers is not a new thing!
It strikes me that the stories of these two events, though different on the surface, share a common thread: they are both true accounts of fighting for survival. When we enjoy these kinds of meals today, we savor the flavors but often forget the struggles and hardships that inspired them. I never had the chance to meet my grandmother, as she passed away before my parents married, but I hold her in the highest regard. Not just because she was family, but because of her incredible strength, resilience, and her ability to navigate the ups and downs of life. She successfully raised her children to be strong and successful. I've never seen my father or uncles waste food, nor have I ever seen them boast about their achievements. They remain grounded and determined.
My father and uncles always say their success is all thanks to their mother. Even now, everyone talks about my grandmother's incredible cooking. She could create amazing meals with almost nothing. Not only did she find ways to use vegetable peels, but she could also make 250g of mutton and 1kg of potatoes feed our family of 14! She saved enough money this way to give us all a good education. My father believes she has been reborn as his daughter, and I've been told I have her spirit.
Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I never met her, but she's always been special to me-a strong, loving woman who has greatly influenced my life, especially my cooking. She shared her secrets with my aunt, and I tried to write down as much as I could. Many of my Bengali recipes are inspired by her, particularly my vegetarian dishes like Chanar Dalna and Dhokar Dalna.
The person who gave me the best man in my life is my father.
Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja - Recipe tips
Let me tell you about this recipe! It's a fantastic way to use vegetable peels and turn them into a flavorful stir-fry that doesn't even need onion or garlic. This recipe comes from my grandmother, and everyone in our family, from her daughters to her grandchildren, makes it the same way. In our family home, Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja served with steamed rice and Bhaja Mooger Daal is a comforting and much-loved meal. Even my husband and daughter enjoy it! Whenever I plan to cook something with bottle gourd or potatoes, I peel them, making sure to get a little extra flesh along with the skin. Then, I chop the peels into thin strips and simply stir-fry them with a few basic spices.
Here's how I cook Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja at Debjanir Rannaghar
Recipe Card
Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja | Stir-Fried Bottle Gourd and Potato Skin/ Peel |
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peel of Bottle Gourd peeled from a medium size Bottle Gourd
- 1 cup Peel of Potato Peeled from 3-4 Potatoes
- 1 teaspoon Poppy Seed / Posto
- ½ teaspoon Nigella Seed/ Kalojire/ Kalonji
- 1 Dry Red Chili
- 2 Green Chili
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil
Instructions
- First, peel the bottle gourd and potatoes, leaving a bit of the flesh on the skin. Use the main parts of the vegetables for another recipe. Then, cut the peel pieces into long, thin strips. Wash these strips thoroughly under running water two or three times.
- Next, heat mustard oil in a pan.
- Add dried red chilies, whole poppy seeds, and nigella seeds to the hot oil for a wonderful aroma.
- Now, toss in the peel strips, along with salt and sugar.
- Mix everything well. Add a few slit green chilies for some extra heat.
- Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the peels are tender, turn off the heat and transfer the stir-fry to a bowl.
- Serve this tasty Khosha Bhaja with hot steamed rice and dal for a complete and satisfying meal.
Notes
- This recipe cleverly uses the peels of fleshy vegetables. So, the next time you're prepping veggies, remember to cut the peels with a little extra flesh attached, and you can create your own delicious Khosha Bhaja! In Bengali, "Khosha" simply means vegetable peels.
- For this dish, I've used bottle gourd and potato peels, but feel free to experiment with other options like pointed gourd or pumpkin peels.
- Poppy seeds, also known as posto, add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor, enhancing the overall savory taste. Although I highly recommend including them, they are optional. Feel free to leave them out if you prefer.
- I personally love using mustard oil for its sharp, distinctive flavor. It's the preferred choice in my family for recipes like this. However, you can easily substitute it with another unflavored oil if you'd like.
Nutrition
Here's how to pair delicious Lau aar Aloo er Khosha Bhaja with other classic dishes
Simple Bengali side dish recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar
- Bhangachora Shukto (also known as Bhangachora Torkari)
- Macher Teler Chorchori (also known as Fish Fat Mishmash with Potatoes and Eggplant)
- Phulkopir Roast (also known as Bengali Roasted Cauliflower)
- Pui Chingri Ghonto (also known as Malabar Spinach Mishmash with Prawns)
- Mangsher Ghughni (also known as Yellow Pea Curry with Minced Mutton)
- Mamlette er Torkari aka Omelette er Torkari (also known as Bengali Omelette Curry)
- Narkel diye Cholar Dal (also known as Bengali Cholar Dal)
- Aloo Posto (also known as Bengali potato curry with poppy seed paste)
- Bengali Fish stew with veggies (Also known as Aloo Potol Diye Macher Jhol)
- Aloo Phulkopir Dalna (also known as Bengali Potato and Cauliflower Curry)
Have you tried the Bengali Lau ar Aloo er Khosa Bhaja recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Here's the Lau aar Aloo-r Khosha Bhaja recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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