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About the Recipe
Explore the flavors of Lauki and Chana Daal, an exquisite Indian recipe that promises a unique culinary experience. Discover the steps to prepare this delectable dish!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized lauki (bottle gourd)
1/2 cup channa daal (split chickpeas)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup tomato puree (prepared by boiling, blanching, and peeling tomatoes before grinding to a puree)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp ghee and 2 tsp oil
3 red chilies
A few sprigs of curry leaves
4 cups of water
Dry Spices:
1 tsp Haldi (turmeric)
1 tsp mirch powder (red chili powder)
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1.5 tsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp whole jeera (cumin seeds)
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp asafetida (hing powder)
1/2 tsp chaat masala
1/4 tsp amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Preparation
Method:
Begin by washing, peeling, and cutting the lauki into small cubes. Soak the chana daal for 30 minutes. In a pressure cooker, combine the daal, lauki, turmeric powder, a pinch of salt, and enough water to cover the ingredients. Pressure cook for 2 whistles or until the daal is fully cooked.
In a separate pan, heat the oil and add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, red chilies, and bay leaves. Once the cumin seeds splutter, add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn brown.
Now, add the dry spices - turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri chili powder, Haldi, and hing. Cook on low heat until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw aroma disappears. Then, add the tomato puree and curry leaves, cooking until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Keep the heat low to ensure all the ingredients are well combined without burning.
Once the tomatoes are thoroughly cooked, add the cooked daal, salt to taste, and cover for 10 minutes over medium heat. Gently mash the daal to thicken the gravy.
Add chaat masala, garam masala, and amchoor powder. Mix well, cover, and simmer for an additional 7 minutes.
Finally, crush some kasuri methi between your palms and add it to the daal. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with a drizzle of ghee. Enjoy it with steamed rice or your choice of rotis.
Bon appétit!