Lauki Chana Dal (Lentils with Bottle Gourd)

Lauki Chana Dal is a nutritious and healthy dal recipe prepared with Bottle Gourd(lauki) ,lentils and few spices making it a perfect dish for a wholesome lunch or busy weeknights.It an easy one-pot dish that can be prepared in a pressure cooker.Its Vegan ,Gluten free.

Also, if you like this bottle gourd recipe then do check: Lauki Paratha ,Lauki Sabji.

CHECKOUT OTHER INSTANT POT DAL RECIPES

• Dal Tadka – Dal prepared with split pigeon peas lentils ,assorted spices
• Green Lentil Soup – lentil soup made with green lentils, carrots, celery, red bell pepper and indian spices
• Whole green moong dal– Dal cooked with whole mung beans
• Spinach Dal / Palak Dal – Dhal cooked with spinach leaves
• Panchmel dal – dal prepared with five varieties of lentils
• Red Lentils/Masoor dal – dal prepared with red lentils

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BOTTLE GOURD & CHANA DAL

Bottle gourd has always been one of the healthiest vegetable.This vegetable is full of water about 92% and has minerals to keep your body hydrated .It helps in weight loss ,cools your body ,helps in digestion ,helps in treating sleeping disorders.Chana dal (also known as split chickpeas or bengal gram) is a great source of plant protein and is diabetic friendly since it has low glycemic index around 8.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH LAUKI CHANA DAL?

Lauki Chana Dal can be served with roti, chapati or steamed rice.I personally like eating with steamed rice.

TIPS & VARIATIONS

1. Don’t skip out on soaking the chana dal for atleast 30 minutes – Chana dal takes a longer time to cook than lauki. Soaking it softens it and makes sure that both the dal and lauki are evenly cooked in the instant pot.
2. If dal has more liquid, then you can boil it for few minutes and vaporize the water.
3. Make sure to cut the lauki into larger chunks so they keep their shape in the dal when pressure cooked.
4. You can replace bottle gourd with zucchini or pumpkin.
5. You can also use potato cubes or other veggies into this curry along with lauki.

CAN I COOK THIS DAL WITHOUT THE PRESSURE COOKER?

Yes you can! just soak the chana dal for 3-4 hours and then boil it in a pot for 30 minutes or until soft. Same way boil chopped bottle gourd/lauki in a covered pan for 30 minutes or until soft.

After both the lentils and lauki are cooked, follow the step by step process to prepare the tempering and saute onion-tomato-ginger-garlic paste and assembling the dal. 

HOW TO MAKE LAUKI CHANA DAL IN INSTANT POT

Soak the chana dal in cold water for atleast 30 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.

Chana dal takes a longer time to cook than lauki. Soaking it softens it and makes sure that both the dal and lauki are evenly cooked in the instant pot.

Wash Bottle Gourd ,peel the skin, dee-seed and cut into 1 inch pieces.Make sure to cut the lauki into larger chunks so they keep their shape in the dal when pressure cooked.

Press Saute mode on Instant Pot. Add oil and once it’s hot add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.Add asafetida ,minced ginger garlic ,chopped green chili and saute for 15 secs.Then add chopped onion. Saute till onions turn light brown in color.

Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes turn soft ,takes 2-3 minutes.

Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder ,coriander powder , lauki ,soaked lentils or dal ,salt ,water and give a stir.Adjust spices at this stage.

Close the lid on the pot, and turn valve from VENTING to SEALING position.Cancel Saute mode.Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and increase timer to 6 minutes. Once the pot beeps, let it release the pressure naturally(NPR) for 10 minutes (Wait until silver button on lid drops).

Squeeze some lime juice ,add garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves (cilantro).Mix well.

Lauki Chana Dal is ready ,you can also add extra tempering(tadka) and serve hot with boiled rice, quinoa or roti.

Note on the consistency:

If dal has more liquid, then you can boil it for few minutes and vaporize the water

If you pressure cook for more time lauki will get mushy.so i suggest pressure cooking for 7-8 minutes.

STOVE TOP PRESSURE COOKER METHOD:

Follow the process mentioned above until step 3 from instant pot instructions.

Give 3-4 whistles on medium flame and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.

LAUKI CHANA DAL RECIPE CARD

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