At home, we call it “dudhi chana dal nu shaak” in Gujarati. You will get a medium spicy curry made from bottle gourd, bengal gram, tomatoes, and few spices.
❤️Why I Love This Recipe
It is a saatvik dish that means no onion no garlic recipe. Still, it tastes too good. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and read the reviews in the comments. This makes a healthy meal when served with phulka roti. You can pack into the lunch box with plain basmati rice in a separate container. My husband is the picky eater and he hates lauki. But when he tried this one, he loved it and asked for a second serving. So I am sure, your family’s lauki hater will like this. It is a one-pot dish when made in the instant pot. (shown in the video). Though you can make this on the stovetop as well. (Shown in step-by-step-photos).
🧾Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is the pic of the ingredients required to make lauki chana dal. The spices list looks long but these are all the basic Indian spice powders used in day-to-day cooking, nothing fancy here.
Ingredient Notes
Chana dal: It is called split bengal gram in English. This is the kind of lentils that requires longer cooking time. So it is advisable to soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Hing: It is known as asafetida in English. It is added to help in easy digestion. – Buying tips: Look for the one without cuts, blemishes, or oozing liquids from cuts. When you press, it should be firm, not feel too soft or spongy. Make sure to choose long and thin verity. The thicker in diameter, it has more seeds inside. – When you chop, if you think the seeds are mature then scoop out the center and discard. If seeds are small and tender and leave them in. – Substitute: Instead of bottle gourd, you can use ridge gourd, any kind of squash, zucchini, or pumpkin. Lemon juice: It is MUST. it takes the flavor of the whole dish to the new level. Please do not skip. Green chili: I have used Indian green chili. To reduce the spice level, discard the seeds. Instead, you can use serrano pepper.
🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions (Stovetop)
- Wash the chana dal under running cold water till water runs clear. Or rinse till water is not cloudy anymore. Soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Then discard the soaking water.
- Take drained chana dal, chopped dudhi, salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Add water, mix and cover the cooker with lid.
- Cook on medium heat for 7-8 whistles. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid.
- Lightly mash it with the back of a spatula.
- Now heat the oil in a small pan on medium heat. Once hot add hing and cumin seeds, let seeds sizzle. Then add chopped green chilies and saute for 30-40 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and spices (Red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala).
- Mix and cook till tomatoes are soft and almost mushy.
- Add this tomato mixture to the boiled dal-lauki mixture.
- Mix well, add freshly chopped cilantro.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice, mix and serve.
💭Expert Tips:
When cooking in Instant pot, always add garam masala after pressure cooking, so it retains its flavor and aroma. You can soak chana dal for up to 2 hours if you have time. But if in rush, 30 minutes soaking is recommended. Spice level: Adjust the amount of red chili powder and green chilies. The below-given quantity will give a medium spicy taste that you find in the average Indian household.
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