Lauki chana dal is a popular North Indian dish made from lauki (bottle gourd or doodhi) and chana dal (split chickpeas) cooked in a Punjabi style onion tomato masala and flavored with various Indian spices.
Lauki chana dal is very commonly made dish in Indian households, and is not only delicious but also nutritious due to the combination of vegetables and lentils. It is a great option for a weekday lunch or dinner.
How to prepare lauki chana dal?
To make this dal you need to first rinse the chana dal and soak it for 30-40 mins. The soaking is optional though and can be skipped if in a hurry. Just pressure cook the dal for a bit longer in that case.
There are 2 options to cook this recipe –
- Cook the dal and masala separately – You can either pressure cook the dal and lauki along with some water, salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Then cook the onion tomato masala separately in a pan and add the cooked dal and lauki to it. This method is slightly quicker since the masala can cook in parallel with the dal, but requires extra utensils.
- One pot method – If you prefer easy cleanup, go with the one pot method, where the onion tomato masala is cooked right in a pressure cooker or an instant pot, then the dal and lauki are added and the whole mixture is steamed together. The onions and tomatoes don’t need to be cooked as long for this method since they will be pressure cooked later anyway. This recipe is made using this method.
Nutritional info
Lauki chana dal is a healthy and nutritious meal that is a great addition to your daily diet. Bottle gourd or lauki is a rich source of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium etc.
Chana dal or split chickpea is also a good source of protein, dietary fiber and essential minerals like iron, phosphorus, and zinc. The dish is also low in calories and very soothing and wholesome meal.
Servings suggestions
Lauki chana dal can be served with any Indian meal on the side of rice, chapati or any other Indian bread. It also goes well as a wet element along withwith dry Indian vegetable curries like aloo gobi, aloo beans etc.
You can also serve a simple side salad like kachumber salad, some raita or a dollop of plain yogurt for freshness and coolness. A tangy pickle or crunchy papad also complement the dish well.
To make lauki chana dal at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below.
See more related recipes like:
Lauki Chana Dal Recipe
Recipe Info
Ingredients For Lauki Chana Dal Recipe
- ½ Cup Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas)
- 2 Cups Lauki (Bottle Gourd) chopped
- 1 Medium Sized Onion finely chopped
- 2 Medium Sized Tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 Green Chilli finely chopped
- 1 Inch Piece of Ginger grated
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- 1/8 Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
Step By Step Instructions for Lauki Chana Dal Recipe
- Rinse the chana dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 30 mins to an hour. Then drain the water from the dal.½ Cup Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas)
- In a pressure cooker, heat some oil. The add cumin seeds and heeng. Roast for a few seconds till the cumin seeds start to splutter.1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera), 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil, 1/8 Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida)
- Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi), 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder), 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- Add finely chopped onions to the cooker along with grated ginger and finely chopped green chillies. Saute and cook for 2-4 minutes till the onions are roasted and turn golden brown.1 Medium Sized Onion, 1 Green Chilli, 1 Inch Piece of Ginger
- Then add finely chopped tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes they are cooked.2 Medium Sized Tomatoes
- Then add the soaked and drained chana dal to the cooker.
- Also add the chopped lauki to the mixture along with 4 cups of water.2 Cups Lauki (Bottle Gourd)
- Pressure cook the dal for 4 whistles on medium-high heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Lauki chana dal is ready. Optionally garnish with a few coriander leaves, and serve hot.
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