BM Theme : A-Z Curries

I don’t know why, but I don’t prepare many dishes with Chana dal as much as I prepare the other dals. You can even make sambar with Chana dal but I never do. It’s usually reserved just for making usili or vada curry or spice powder of some kind.

A friend of mind suggested bottle gourd (Lauki) with black eyed peas curry and I started swapping out Chana dal for black eyed peas soon after. I absolutely love this curry and make it every now and then now.

Read on for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Chana dal
• 2-3 cups diced lauki/ bottle gourd
• 1 tablespoon oil / ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon jeera seeds
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
• 1 big tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Handful of Chopped coriander leaves to sprinkle on top

Method:

1. Wash and pressure cook the dal along with the chopped bottle gourd and enough water for 6 whistles or until the dal is cooked. Let the pressure release naturally.
2. Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Add jeera, when it splutters add the onions. Sauté until it’s browned a bit.
3. Add chopped tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and the dry spices. Mix well and let it cook until tomatoes are mushy.
4. Add the cooked dal and lauki along with the water it’s cooked in. Add salt as needed and let it come to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and keep it covered until serving time.