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Lauki Chane Ki Dal

Lauki Chane ki dal (bottle gourd and gram lentils) is a very delicious as well as nutritious preparation. Lauki/ bottle gourd is a very light vegetable and makes a perfect dish with the combination of Gram Dal (chana dal). Those who don’t like plain lauki will appreciate this preparation. For the seasoning, you can make simple asafetida and cumin seasoning (heeng jeera) or you can add a rich reasoning to make it restaurant style dal. So please try this recipe and do share your feedback. Shuchi...

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

• Lauki/ bottle gourd about 250 gms/½ pound
• Bengal gram lentils (chane ki Dal) ½ cups
• Salt 1¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp

For Seasoning:

• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Asafoetida 2 pinch
• Red chili powder ½ tsp
• Garam masala ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder ½ tsp
• Desi ghee 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice 1 tsp/to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp

For Rich and restaurant style Dal:

• Onion 1 medium, finely chopped
• Tomato 1 medium, finely chopped
• Green chili 1-2, finely chopped
• Deshi ghee 1½ tbsp
• Chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp

Method of preparation:

1. Was, and peel bottle gourd (lauki). Remove the stem and cut lauki into half inches cubes. We need about 1 ½ cup of chopped bottle gourd (lauki) for this recipe. (Shape does not matter, it is just to get an idea).

2. Clean and wash chana dal. Soak the lentils in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes.
3. In a pressure cooker take soaked lentils, add chopped bottle gourd (lauki), salt and turmeric powder and cook the lentils and vegetable until its tender. (Take 2-3 whistles in the pressure cooker).
4. Check the consistency of the dal. Add a little water if needed. Add coriander powder, and garam masala in the cooked dal. Take a boil.
5. Add a little bit of lemon juice as per tase.

1. In a small pan heat ghee . Add cumin seeds. When seeds crackle, add asafoetida, and turn off the heat. Now add red chili powder and whole red chili. Add the seasoning onto the Dal.
2. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.You can also top dal with a little bit of ghee, it enhances the flavor of dal.
3. Lauki Chane ki dal is ready to serve. Serve delicious and nutritious dal with roti and/ or dal-chawal.

1. To make restaurant style dal (lentils) at home, heat 1½ tbsp. ghee.
2. Add finely chopped onion and fry until onions are golden brown.
3. Add finely chopped tomato and chopped green chili. Fry until the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
4. Pour this seasoning on your dal. This additional seasoning enhances the flavor of dal
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
6. Rich Restaurant style dal is ready to serve. Serve delicious and nutritious dal with roti sabji and/ or dal-chawal.

1. I always make Lauki ki Sabji and save some sabji for Lauki Chane ki dal. If you want to add lauki sbaji in dal then cook dal with salt and turmeric powder. Add lauki ki sabji in cooked dal. Add seasoing as per taste.

2. If you follow the above tip make sure that you cut the amount of salt in dal because sabji also has salt in it.
3. Lauki can be easily grow at home kitchen garden. Please click on this link read more about vegetable gardening. Following is a photo of lauki hanging at lauki vine at kitchen garden.

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