Veggie Foodie

(Bottle gourd and Split Bengal gram lentil curry)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Split Bengal gram dal (lentil)
• 1 medium size bottle gourd
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or any other vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafetida
• 1-2 dry red chilies broken in large pieces
• 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp lime / lemon juice
• 1 tbsp jaggery powder
• 2 tbsp chopper cilantro

Method:

Preparation

1. Properly wash split Bengal gram dal and soak it for a couple of hours
2. Taste bottle gourd at both the ends to ensure that it’s not bitter… must not use bitter bottle gourd in your cooking!
3. Chop bottle gourd into small / medium pieces
4. Make ginger, chili, garlic paste

Cooking

1. Cook the dal in pressure cooker (2-3 whistles) or in instant pot (5 minutes under pressure)
2. Once you are able to open the cooker without forcing it, add chopped bottle gourd, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, mix well and cook for another 3 whistle (if in Instant Pot, for 10 minutes under pressure)
3. Heat the oil in a pan on medium / high heat
4. To hot oil, add mustard seeds. When the seeds start crackling, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds start crackling, add asafetida and red dry chili pieces
5. Add curry leaves, onions and sauté till the onions are translucent
6. Add the ginger, chili, garlic paste and sauté for a minute
7. Add the chopped tomato and sauté for a couple of minutes
8. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder and sauté for a minute
9. To the pan, add the cooked bottle gourd and split Bengal gram dal and mix well and cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes
10. Add lime / lemon juice, jaggery powder, mix well, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with any Indian bread like chapati or paratha

Serves: 4

Inspiration source: