Lauki Chana Dal with Onion and Tomato
Lalkila Kitchen · Plant based · Vegetarian · Main dishes · Vegetables · Punjabi cooking · Everyday cooking
Bottle gourd and split Bengal gram cook together in a tomato base. This adaptation selects the source’s saucepan option, with more water than its pressure-cooker method. Keep the pan within sight so the dal can soften without the sauce drying out.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2–2 cups peeled, chopped bottle gourd (lauki)
- 1/4 cup chana dal, soaked 45–60 minutes and drained
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 green chilli and 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2–3/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp each turmeric and red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Pinch asafoetida, optional
- 1 1/2–2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 cups water, plus more as needed
- Salt to taste
- 1–1 1/2 tbsp chopped coriander
Method
- Discard bitter bottle gourd; do not cook with it. Heat oil and crackle cumin. Soften onion, then add ginger and chilli.
- Cook tomatoes with turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and optional asafoetida until pulpy.
- Add drained dal, gourd, salt and water. Cover and simmer gently, stirring and adding water as needed, until dal and gourd are fully tender.
- Adjust consistency and finish with coriander.
Cooking notes
The dal should yield when pressed, without a chalky centre. Cut the gourd into similar-sized pieces and stir gently as it softens. Use the extra-water allowance to maintain a simmer, then uncover to reduce excess liquid if necessary. This method does not translate pressure-cooker whistles into a saucepan cooking time.
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Source and adaptation
Adapted from Dassana Amit’s Lauki Chana Dal, Dassana’s Veg Recipes. Original recipe.
Selected the documented saucepan method and its 1 1/2-cup initial water quantity. Retained the warning to discard bitter gourd.
This is an editorial adaptation, not kitchen-tested by Lalkila. FoodSafety.gov cooking temperatures and safe food handling provide the safety references. The featured image is a generated illustration of this recipe.