Bottle Gourd With Lentils (Lauki Daal)

Bottle Gourd or Lauki is a vegetable loaded with health properties and nutrients. I was thinking of ways and means of combining this vegetable into our daily diet. Personally, I love combining vegetables with Daal hence the recipe for a dinner meal ~ Lauki Daal. The combination provides healthy options for daily meals and the vegetables and is a great way to have an inclusive, healthy and nutritious option available at affordable price straight from the grocery store. This dish is good for quick dinner meals when you have less time and need the dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.


Thanks Indira from Mahanandi for this delicious recipe. I love her simple, tasty and earthy collection of recipes. The taste was subtle and wholesome. I made few changes to the seasoning ingredients since I wanted to elevate the taste and add some more heat.

Recipe adapted from Mahanandi
Cooking time ~ 10 minute
Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Bottle Gourd or Lauki (chopped) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Onions (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste

For seasoning -
Ghee - For frying
Garlic (chopped) - 1 teaspoon
Red Chillies - split into two (Byadgi variety) - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3-4

Method:
Wash Lauki and remove the hard skin. Chop them into pieces. Wash Toor Daal and add the chopped Lauki pieces along with Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and chopped Onions. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or till the Daal gets mushy and soft. Allow to cool. Mash the concoction with a Masher to a smooth paste. If you prefer non-mushy consistency, do not mash and leave the concoction as is.

In a separate pan, heat Ghee. Once heated up, add Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds. Once they begin to pop, add Red Chillies and Curry leaves and chopped Garlic. Saute till Garlic is lightly browned. Turn off the flame and pour this seasoning onto the Daal. Close the lid. Mix Daal with seasoning while serving with warm Rice and a teaspoon of Ghee. Serve with Vodee/ Vadams on the side.