Chana Dal with Lauki(Bottle gourd)

Dals/ tovve are my favorite. I never knew that dal can be made with chana dal also. I’m also not too fond of bottle gourd in traditional south Indian sambars. This recipe is an amalgam of both, in good ways. Extremely tasty and easy. Have it with rice, ghee and pickle and some fryums(sandige) and enjoy your winter break! 

Do try!

Happy holidays! Happy New Year!!

Ingredients

Onion - 1/2

Tomato - 2

Bottle gourd/ Lauki/ Sorekayi - 1

Chana Dal - 1 1nd 1/2 cup

Garlic - 2 - 3

Ginger - 1 big piece

Green chili - 1

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Cilantro

Salt

Kasoori methi(not in the original)

Ghee

Cumin seeds 

Hing

Method

Wash and soak chana dal for at least 1/2 an hour(soaking is optional). 

Chop lauki in big chunks. Take the peel and pulp and make chutney. Recipe for the chutney can be found here and here. Chop onion and tomatoes into small pieces. Finely chop ginger garlic and green chili. In a cooker take 2 inner vessels, add chana dal with enough water in the bottom vessel and lauki in the top vessel without any water. Cook for 3 whistles. Let it cool.

In a pot make tadka -  add ghee and add jeera. Once it sizzles add onion, ginger - garlic(or ginger-garlic paste), green chili. Add tomatoes, sauté. Add powders, sauté. Add cooked dal. Chana dal will not become mushy after cooking, mash it lightly before adding to the pot. Add vegetables, adjust water, and boil again. Dal thickens as it boils and also after it cools down.

Shortcut method - Alternatively you can add chana dal directly to the cooker. Once it starts boiling add lauki and tomatoes, ginger, garlic, onion, green chilies. Let it whistle 2 times. After the pressure comes down, add all the powders, kasoori methi and boil it again. Add cilantro and tadka.

Enjoy with some hot rice, pickle and ghee.  

This dal can be made without onion and garlic also. 

Recipe Source - “https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/chana-dal-with-lauki/”