Lauki chana dal is a great way of having dudhi/bottle gourd. Especially if you have bigger households. This simple nutritious curry ensures everyone gets a good bowl of nutrients. You also are spared of making dal & veggies separately. It is a wonderful recipe which cooks fast. A no fuss recipe yet a great option to have a filling meal Cooking need not be elaborate. Learn to cook smart and save time even if you do not have a penchant for cooking. Indian cuisine will has many a healthy curry that do not compromise on nutrition.
Bottle gourd curry cooked with lentils is a recipe which is common at many north Indian households. lauki chana dal sabzi is also called as dudhi chana dal nu shaak in Gujarat. I think it is a unique way of combining the goodness of lentil proteins with calabash or Hulu. Lauki in English is known as bottle gourd or in Hindi - 'lauki' , 'dudhi'or 'ghia', a great diuretic. Dudhi curry is an easy one. Perfect for busy weeknights.
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Benefits of dudhi
Ayurveda recommends lauki or Ghia for weight loss. It has high water content. Also, contains only 14 calories for a 100 gm usage .It has an easy digestion. It is also given to women post pregnancy for lunches.(Sometimes without lentils as it may cause some gas in newborn baby). It is also a moderate source of vitamin B,C and folates. This lauki sabzi recipe is great if you need to lose weight. Yum!
Equipment
- Traditional pressure cooker / Instant pot
- Mixing bowl
- Chopper / food processor
Ingredients
- Chana dal/Bengal gram lentils (soaked for 10 minutes in hot water)
- Lauki/ ghia/ dudhi / bottle gourd (cut into ½ inch cubes)
- Oil
- Cumin seeds
- Ginger/garlic/both
- Green chillies chopped finely
- Onions
- Pinch of Asafoetida / Heeng (Optional, avoid if gluten-free)
- Tomatoes
- Water
- Turmeric powder
- Red chili powder
- Cumin powder
- Garam masala optional
- Garnish: Cilantro leaves finely chopped
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Soak chana dal in hot water for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add chopped onions, ginger and green chilies. Now, add a pinch of heeng if not gluten free at this stage. Stir for a few seconds.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and cook until it softens.
- Add the soaked Bengal gram lentils, bottle gourd and spices, and one cup of water (adjust as needed to desired gravy thickness; bottle guard varies in moisture content).
- Pressure cook it until soft for about fifteen minutes or unto 3 whistles.( you will need alteast 2-3 number of whistles for channa dal )
- Turn off the heat. Garnish lauki chana dal with chopped cilantro once pressure releases.
- Stir and cover the pan for a few minutes before serving with flat bread or jeera rice.
Top tip
The only thing you need to be sure before cooking calabash is tasting a piece before cooking it, to ensure it is not bitter. Bitter ghiya can be dangerous and can cause hospitalization.
Storage
You can store it in refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Food safety
- Always reheat your left overs.
- Make sure kitchen is well ventilated while cooking.
Variation
Add some mungodi if you like to the above recipe. If you do not have chana dal, you can make it with arhar or tuvar dal or masur dal as well.
Serving suggestion
You can serve this ghiya sabji with flat bread or 'roti'. Goes great with brown rice for main course too. Pair lauki dal recipe with raita or yogurt dip and some fried poppadum. Just fry some potato chips with rice and easy meal is ready.
Substitutions
You can make a curry with zucchini or ridge gourd if bottle gourd is not available. Instant pot lauki chana dal is also a great option if you do not have a stovetop pressure cooker. You may also use frozen lauki to make lauki curry. Adjust water content accordingly, as frozen pieces would already have high water content.
Related links
lauki chana dal recipe | ghiya chana dal | dudhi chana dal recipe
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
For pressure cooking:
- ¼ cup Bengal gram / Channa dal soaked for 10 minutes in hot water
- 1 -½ cup Lauki ghia/bottle gourd (cut into ½ inch cubes)
- Pinch turmeric powder
- ½ cup Water
For tomato gravy:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- Pinch Asafoetida Heeng(Optional, avoid if gluten-free)
- 2 Green chilies chopped finely
- ¾ cup / 1 medium tomato
- 1 piece ginger small, finely chopped
- Pinch Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- Handful Cilantro leaves / coriander leaves finely chopped for garnish
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add chopped onions, ginger and green chilies. Now, add a pinch of heeng if not gluten free at this stage. Stir for a few seconds.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and cook until it softens.
- Add the soaked bengal gram, bottle gourd and spices, and one cup of water (adjust as needed to desired gravy thickness; bottle guard varies in moisture content).
- Pressure cook it until soft for about fifteen minutes or unto 3 whistles.
- Turn off the heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro once pressure releases.
- Stir and cover the pan for a few minutes before serving with flat bread or brown rice.
FAQ
Yes it is a good diuretic and also helps lose weight. Lauki sabzi also has a low glycemic index and has 92% water.
Lauki or dudhi is called as bottle gourd. Other names are long melon, calabash gourd, opo squash.
Chana dal. Hence it is a good option for diabetic patients. This has a high amount of proteins along with folic acid.
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