Stuffed Bottle Gourd with Meat (Dedhi no Dumbo)
A lavish Parsi dish featuring a whole, hollowed bottle gourd stuffed with a savory mixture of tender meat, potatoes, almonds, and raisins. This traditional "Dumbo" preparation involves slow-cooking the stuffed gourd in ghee until golden brown, allowing the rich flavors of the filling to permeate the vegetable while creating a tender, melting texture. The combination of savory spiced meat with sweet raisins and crunchy almonds creates a complex and delightful flavor profile perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Bottle gourd (short and stout variety) (Choose a ripe, thick, and short gourd (Dedhi/Lauki).)
- 1 pound Meat (Chicken, Duck, or Lamb) (Boneless weight after cooking.)
- 2 medium Potatoes (Peeled and diced into small pieces.)
- 1/4 cup Almonds (Blanched, peeled, and halved.)
- 1/4 cup Raisins (Cleaned and washed.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Adjust to taste.)
- 4 cups Ghee (Quantity estimated for deep frying/submerging. Can use oil.)
- 2 tablespoons Wheat flour (For making sealing paste (lahi).)
- 1 tablespoon Water (For making sealing paste.)
Instructions
- 1Select a ripe, thick, and short bottle gourd. Peel the outer skin completely. Cut off the top stem end (keep it to use as a lid later). Carefully hollow out the inside, removing seeds and pulp to create a cavity for stuffing, while keeping the outer shell intact.
- 2Cook the chicken, duck, or lamb simply with salt until tender (boil or sauté). Remove all bones and use only the solid meat. Shred or chop the meat into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them into very small dice. Peel the almonds and split them in half. Wash the raisins and fry them briefly in a little ghee until plump.
- 3In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked meat, diced potatoes, almonds, and fried raisins. Add salt to taste and mix everything thoroughly. Stuff this mixture tightly into the hollowed bottle gourd until it is full.
- 4Mix the wheat flour with a little water to make a thick sticky paste (lahi). Apply this paste to the rim of the gourd and the cut lid. Place the lid back onto the gourd to close it. Tie the lid securely with kitchen string so it does not open during cooking. Prick the surface of the gourd all over with a fork to prevent it from bursting.
- 5Take a deep, heavy-bottomed pot (tinned copper or similar). Add enough ghee to submerge the gourd (or at least cover it significantly). Heat the ghee on a low flame. Place a heat diffuser or a piece of tile at the bottom of the pot to prevent direct heat from scorching the gourd. Carefully place the stuffed gourd upright in the pot. Cook slowly on low heat until the gourd turns a rich golden brown color and is tender. Ensure it does not burn at the bottom.