lauki chana dal recipe with step by step photos – a tasty and healthy gravy recipe made with bottle gourd (opo squash) and bengal gram (chana dal). this punjabi lauki chana dal curry is an easy and quick recipe and goes very well with roti or phulkas. this recipe is made quite often at home.

to make this recipe, i recommend to soak the chana dal for some time to soften them and also make sure that the chana dal is cooked properly. sometimes i make the same sabzi with punjabi wadis instead of chana dal.

i make this lauki chana dal in pressure cooker but you can also make in a pan (mentioned in the recipe notes below). we usually make this gravy spicy by adding extra green chilies. in the recipe mentioned below i have mentioned just one green chili.

lauki and spinach are two healthy veggies which i always try to include in our diet as much as i can and that despite the fact that they are not favorite veggies of my hubby :-). usually we are not able to use lauki fully in one dish and there is always some left over lauki. in that case you can check these more lauki recipes like:

• lauki kofta
• lauki halwa
• lauki ki sabji

this recipe can also be made with zucchini instead of bottle gourd. this lauki chana dal sabzi can be served with rotis or parathas.

if you are looking for more curry recipes then do check:

• aloo matar
• malai kofta
• vegetable stew
• paneer makhani
• palak paneer.

lauki chana dal

4.62 from 18 votes

Prep Time:45 mins

Cook Time:20 mins

Total Time:1 hr 5 mins

lauki chana dal recipe - a spiced curry made with bottle gourd (opo squash) and bengal gram (chana dal).

Course:side dish

Cuisine:north indian,punjabi

Servings:2 to 3

Author:Dassana Amit

INGREDIENTS FOR lauki chana dal

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

• 1.5 to 2 cups chopped lauki (bottlegourd or ghia)
• ¼ cup chana dal (split and husked bengal gram)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped (hari mirch)
• ½ inch ginger, finely chopped (adrak)
• ½ or ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds (sabut jeera)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
• ½ teaspoon punjabi garam masala or regular garam masala
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) - optional
• ½ to ¾ cup water for pressure cooking
• 1.5 to 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
• 1 to 1.5 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
• salt as required

HOW TO MAKE lauki chana dal

soaking chana dal

• rinse and soak the chana dal for atleast 45 minutes to 1 hour. 
• drain the chana dal and keep aside.

making lauki chana dal sabzi

• heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker. crackle the cumin first.
• add the onions and saute till they become translucent.
• add the ginger and green chilies and saute for 10-15 seconds.
• now add the tomatoes and all the dry spice powders. saute till the tomatoes soften. keep on stirring.
• the oil should start releasing from the onion-tomato masala.
• now add the chana dal and stir. add the chopped lauki (bottle gourd) and salt. pour water and stir.
• cover with the lid and pressure cook for about 4-5 whistles on a high flame.
• if there is lots of liquid in the sabzi, then simmer without the lid to dry the liquids.
• this lauki chana dal gravy has a medium consistency.
• when the pressure drops on its own, remove the lid and stir the coriander leaves.
• you can also garnish chana dal lauki curry with coriander leaves. serve lauki chana dal hot with phulkas or rotis.

RECIPE TIPS

to make lauki chana dal curry in a pan, add about 1.5 cup water and cover and cook. if the water dries up whilst cooking you can add some more water.

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how to make lauki chana dal

1. rinse and soak ¼ cup chana dal (bengal gram) for atleast 45 minutes to 1 hour. drain the chana dal and keep aside.

2. heat 1.5 to 2 tbsp oil or ghee in a pressure cooker. crackle ½ to ¾ tsp cumin.

3. add the finely chopped onions ( 1 medium sized onion) and saute till they become translucent.

4. add the ginger (½ inch ginger/adrak, finely chopped). also add 1 green chili (chopped). and saute for 10-15 seconds.

5. now add finely chopped tomatoes (2 medium sized tomatoes).

6. add all the dry spice powders (¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp garam masala powder and a pinch of asafoetida/hing). saute till the tomatoes soften. keep on stirring.

7. the oil should start releasing from the onion-tomato masala.

8. now add ¼ cup chana dal and stir. add the chopped lauki/bottle gourd (1.5 to 2 cups lauki) and salt. pour ½ to ¾ cup water for pressure cooking and stir.

9. cover with the lid and pressure cook for about 4-5 whistles on a high flame.

10. if there is lots of liquid in the sabzi, then simmer without the lid to dry the liquids. the curry has a medium consistency.

11. when the pressure drops on its own, remove the lid and stir the coriander leaves. you can also garnish chana dal lauki curry with coriander leaves. serve lauki chana dal sabzi hot with rotis or parathas.