Bottle gourd, called lauki or dudhi in India, is often vilified. Its bland taste and lack of variation deter many people. Adults usually boil it as a sabzi, whereas children may ignore it at lunch. But bottle gourd can do much more than sit quietly in your vegetable basket. You can turn it into tasty kofta, comforting dal, refreshing raita, soft chilla, and even a light soup. It absorbs spices well and works with ingredients that most Indian kitchens already have. If you want to add more vegetables to your family’s meals without repeating the same recipe, bottle gourd deserves…