Lauki Chana Dal

I love this version of bottle gourd curry. It’s absolutely delicious. :)

Try it out and go YUUUUMMMMMM…..

Ingredients

Bottle Gourd/ Lauki/ Ghiya – 4 cups, peeled and chopped in to small pieces

Chana Dal – 1 cup, uncooked

Onion – 1 cup, finely chopped

Green Chilies – 3, slit vertically

Ginger Garlic Paste – ½ tbsp.

Mustard Seeds – ¼ tsp.

Cumin Seeds – ¼ tsp.

Asafetida – 1/8 tsp.

Chili Powder – ¼ tsp.

Dhanya Jeera Powder – ½ tsp.

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp.

Mint Leaves – 1 tbsp., chopped

Coriander Leaves – ½ cup, chopped

Oil – 2 tbsp.

Water – 1 cup

Salt – to taste

Servings – Serves 3 to 4

Note – Don’t worry about the amount of lauki. It eventually reduces while cooking.

Method

1. Cook the chana dal in such a way that it doesn't become too mushy. The grains shouldn't stick to each other.

2. Take a saucepan; add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida. Once the seeds start spluttering, add chilies. After about 6 – 7 seconds, add the finely chopped onions and saute till they become golden brown in color.

3. Once the onions attain golden brown color, add ginger garlic paste. Saute the onions for a few seconds and add the lauki pieces.

4. Put in the red chili powder, turmeric powder and dhanya jeera powder. Also add mint and coriander leaves at this step. Semi cook the lauki (covered).

5. Once the lauki is semi cooked, add chana dal. Pour in 1 cup of water (amount of water can be varied depending upon the choice of consistency for the curry) and cook covered. Add salt at this step.

6. Keep stirring once in a while till the lauki is completely cooked.

7. Turn off the flame and serve hot with either rice or roti.