Lauki Chana Dal – Bottle Gourd Chana Dal

Lauki Chana Dal is nothing but bottle gourd (sorakkai) cooked along with chana dal in a onion-tomato based gravy. Its a very simple and healthy gravy. Bottle gourd has a lot of health benefits, especially for lactating mothers. This gravy is quite a different way to use bottle gourd, rather than making the usual kootu. As u know I am always in the look for side dishes to go with roti/phulka, this is a perfect and complete meal altogether with roti.

Now to the recipe…

[ Preparation Time-10 mins : Cooking Time- 20 mins : Soaking Time – 30 mins]

Lauki Chana Dal Ingredients:

• Bottle Gourd – 1 (1 to 1 & 1/2 cups when chopped)
• Onion – 2
• Tomato – 2
• Chana Dal – 1/4 cup
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Salt – as needed
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves – few

Method:

• Rinse chana dal and soak it for 30 mins. Wash and peel the bottle gourd. Halve it and remove the spongy portion from inside. Chop it into cubes and keep it ready. Like wise chop the onion and tomato too. Heat a pressure pan with oil and temper with jeera. Add choppped onions and saute until transparent. Add choppped tomato and ginger-garlic paste.

• Cook until the raw smell of ginger-garlic paste goes off. Add salt, chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and oil oozes out.

• Now add the chopped bottle gourd, soaked chana dal and water upto immersing level. Close and cook for 3-4 whistles. Switch off the flame. Once the pressure releases, check the consistency. If it is very watery boil in simmer for some more time. Mine was just right.

Thats it!! Lauki Chana Dal is ready!!

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti!!

Tips:

1. U can reduce the amount of chilli powder and add 1 or 2 slit green chillies.
2. Adjust the consistency of Lauki Chana Dal as per your preference.
3. After cooking, u can mash a part of the bottle gourd for a thick consistency.
4. Bottle gourd has a lot of water content naturally, so dont be tempted to add too much water to the gravy.
5. Soaking the chana dal is a must. Else it will not get cooked properly as bottle gourd gets cooked very quickly.