Lauki Chana Dal ki Sabzi

After treating my taste buds with greasy, spicy and acidic food all through the weekend on account of Eid…I thought of taking a break from the spicy stuff and settled down to make this simple and delicious Lauki Chana Dal ki Sabzi. You can survive on simple and comfort food for lifetime…isn’t it?? Lauki (bottle gourd/doodhi/kaddu/sorakaya) is much loved vegetable in my family. I love making Lauki ka Halwa and Gil-e-Firadus (chilled, creamy and rich delicacy from the land of pearls, Hyderabad) whenever I get hold of fresh, long and slender lauki.

Lauki and chana dal are match made in gastronomical heaven. The simple, juicy and smoothing lauki when paired and cooked with nutty and sweet flavoured chana dal, the taste is simply yum. Chana dal gives nice texture to this recipe. You can serve this lauki chana dal ki recipe with roti or rice.

Lauki Chana Dal ki Sabzi

INGREDIENTS:

• 400 gms. Lauki/Kaddu/Doodhi/Bottle gourd*
• ½ cup Chana Dal
• 1 big Onion, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp. Red chili powder
• ½ tbsp. Turmeric powder
• 2 Green chilies cut into half
• 2 tbsp. Oil
• ½ tbsp. Ginger-Garlic paste
• ¼ tbsp. roasted Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp. dry Coconut powder, optional
• Salt, as per taste
• 2 tbsp. fresh minced coriander leaves

PREPARATION:

• Wash and soak chana dal for 20 minutes in enough water.
• In the meantime, using a peeler, peel the outer thick skin of lauki and wash it thoroughly. Cut into half from middle and remove the seeds. Cut into 1’ inch pieces and set aside.
• Now in a pressure cooker, add oil and when it heats up add sliced onions and green chilies. When the onions turn translucent, add in ginger-garlic paste. Fry till raw smell wafts.
• To this add soaked chana dal, lauki pieces, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, dry coconut powder and salt.
• Stir and add 2 cups of water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Once the pressure settles, check for salt and cook on low flame till you get desired consistency. Add in fresh minced coriander leaves and serve warm with roti or rice.
• Add love to make this lauki chana dal ki sabzi taste Yummy.

NOTE: Always remember to taste bottle gourd before cutting into pieces as sometimes, it will be bitter. If seeds are tender and soft you can add them, otherwise discard seeds.