Laucki Chana Dal (bottle Gourd, Ghiya, Doodhi)
Instructions
1. Wash and soak chana dal for 1 hour or more.
2. Peel, wash and cut bottle gourd into inch cubes.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is
ready.
4. Add the cumin seeds as they crack add asafetida, and whole red chilies stir for few seconds.
5. Next add ginger, turmeric, and chili powder and stir for few seconds.
6. Add gram (chana dal), bottle gourd, salt and 1cup of water. Water can be adjusted as needed as some time
bottle guard will have more or less moisture and depends how much gravy one prefers.
7. Cook till gram dal (chana dal) gets soft.
8. Turn off the heat and add mango powder, garam masala, and cilantro. Stir and cover the pan for few
minutes before serving.
Serving suggestion
Serve with roti or paratha or with plain rice.
Variations
1. Mango powder can be replaced with lemon juice.
2. Add 2 tablespoon of dry fenugreek leaves or 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped fenugreek leaves same time
adding the bottle gourd.
