Chana dal with lauki (split Bengal gram with bottle gourd)

• Servings: 3-4
• Preparation time: 7-8 minutes.
• Cooking time: 15 minutes.
• Seasoning time: 15 minutes.
• Total time: 38 minutes.

We can’t control heat waves; so can cool our self and family with this ‘bottle gourd recipe’. Bottle gourd has a high percentage of water which will keep you hydrated and cool. It is also easy to digest. This is a certain way to ensure protection from sun damage and heat.

Ingredients:

• Chana dal (split Bengal gram): 100 gm.
• Cumin seed: ½ teaspoon
• Turmeric powder: half teaspoon
• Salt: one teaspoon (as per taste)

For seasoning:

• Ghee/oil: 1 tablespoon
• Cumin seed: 1 teaspoon
• Lauki (bottle gourd): 200-250 gm.
• Tomato: 1 no. (Medium size)
• Green chilli: 1-2 no.
• Ginger: 2” piece
• Water: 2 cup

Preparation:

1. Peel and chop lauki into cubes (as shown in photo). Keep aside.
2. Chop the tomato. Keep aside.
3. Grind ½ teaspoon cumin, black pepper and green chilli, keep aside.

Method:

1. Put dal, salt, turmeric powder, along with water in the pressure cooker on high flame.
2. Bring to full cooking pressure, reduce to low flame and cook for 5-7 minutes, Put off the flame, allow cooker to cool and open. Keep aside.

Seasoning:

1. Take wok; put ghee, add cumin seed, sputter it for few seconds, add chopped lauki cover it and cooked on medium/low flame for 4-5 minutes or till half done, add chopped tomato and grounded paste , again cover  it and  continue to cook on medium low flame for 4-5 minutes or till lauki is 90% done.
2. Add cooked dal into it; boil the dal for couple of minutes. Put off the flame.
3. Add coriander leaves, ‘Chana dal with lauki (split Bengal gram with bottle gourd)’ is ready to serve.
4. Serve at the time of lunch or dinner, along with chapati and rice.

Chana dal with lauki (split Bengal gram with bottle gourd) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.