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 or split chickpea). A vegan recipe.
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 leftover lauki. In that case you can check these more Lauki recipes Like:
This recipe can also be made with zucchini instead of bottle gourd. This lauki chana dal sabzi can be served with rotis or parathas.
How to make lauki chana dal
1. Rinse and soak ¼ cup chana dal (bengal gram or split chickpea) for at least 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, 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 the curry with coriander leaves. Serve lauki chana dal sabzi hot with rotis or parathas.
More Indian curry recipes then do check:
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lauki chana dal
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 cups chopped lauki (bottlegourd)
- ¼ cup chana dal (split and husked bengal gram or split chickpea)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 green chili, chopped
- ½ inch ginger, finely chopped
- ½ or ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili 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
- salt as required
Instructions
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
- 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 the curry with coriander leaves. Serve lauki chana dal hot with phulkas or rotis.
Notes
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Tried this today.lauki sabzi never tasted so good.loved it with phulkas.
thank you winnie. lauki chana dal tastes best with phulka – plus it is healthy too.
My son love this recipe ????
thank you.
Thank you Dassana!! your veg recipes are a life saver!! we always cook meat and fish at home and limited goan veg dishes. Your recipes have bought a whole new flavour to our food..I cook vegetarian regularly now…thanks to you this lauki recipe is the new favourite!! Finally got around to eating it!!
thank you vanessa. including vegetables and fruits is really good for the body and improves our overall health too. i am glad that the vegetarian recipes are helping you to make delicious vegetarian food. happy cooking and wish you all the best.