Lauki Chana Masala

This is the best version to make the regular plain lauki sabzi (bottle gourd) very tasty and very quick. Lauki chana dal sabzi is a healthy gravy recipe that can be enjoyed with hot roti, phulkas, puris, or even with hot steaming rice.

Instead of chana dal, you can also go for moong dal. To make the process quick and easy the lentils that you take should be soaked in the water for at least an hour before cooking it. There are two ways of making the recipe, one by adding the lauki and chana dal on the tempering and cooking it in a kadhai or the other one which I have used is by first cooking the lauki and chana dal in a pressure cooker and then adding it on the tempering. This helps to cook the lauki and chana dal properly.

Along with the spicy flavor of the chilli powder and chana masala/ garam masala I also add some tomato paste to give it a tangy flavor. You can skip adding tomato if you want.

You can also give this sabzi to your toddler in their tiffin by adding less water so that it does not spill.

Serves – 4

Ingredients: 
1 medium-sized lauki, chopped in cubes,
1/2 cup chana dal, soaked in water for 2 hours,
1 tsp turmeric powder,
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped,
2 tbsp cooked tomato paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp chana masala/ garam masala
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander for garnishing

Method: 

1. In a pressure cooker, add the lauki, soaked chana dal, 1 tsp turmeric powder, and little salt. Add little water just enough to boil the lauki and chana dal to cook.
2. Once cooked the lauki and the chana dal will look mushy and also yellow due to turmeric. Remove the excess water in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a kadhai, heat 2-3 tsp oil, add cumin and onion, sauté it until the onion turns golden brown.
4. Then add tomato paste and ginger garlic paste and mix well.
5. Add 1 tsp of each coriander, cumin, and chili powder. Add salt as per taste.  
6. Mix well and cook on a low flame until oil starts separating. You can add 1-2 tbsp water if the masala starts sticking to the bottom of the kadhai.
7. Add the cooked lauki and chana dal and mix it very gently ensuring not to smash the lauki and dal.
8. Add the water that we set aside earlier as per the consistency you want. If you want more gravy then add additional water.
9. Adjust the salt and spice as required. 
10. Then add 2 tsp chana masala and cover with a lid. Cook for 7-8 mins on a low flame.
11. Serve hot and garnish with some finely chopped coriander.

Notes:
While cooking the lauki in the pressure cooker do not add too much water as the lauki will also release a lot of water once cooked.
If you do not have chana masala then add garam masala.