Serve with rotis or ladle over steamed basmati rice along with sides such as mango pickle, garlic chutney or kachumber salad for added punch to the meal.
About Chana Dal With Lauki
Dal is staple in indian homes and chana dal or bengal gram lentils are a favorite in our kitchens. These lentils have a nutty and mildly sweet taste. I use chana lentils for a ton of non-dal recipes as well. Be it to make stuffing for aloo tikki, or for making stuffed dal paratha, for vegetarian appetizers like chana dal tikki or in non vegetarian kebabs like shami kebab. Lauki is a loved indian summer squash with a mild, sweetish flavor and a high water content. It pairs perfectly with the earthy, nutty flavor of chana dal. In this recipe, together, they create a delicious stew that’s seasoned with traditional indian spices such as like cumin, turmeric, and amchur(dry mango powder). Chana dal with lauki is adored for its simplicity and its light, refreshing flavor. I usually whip mine up in a pressure cooker, but an Instant Pot works just as well. The ideal dal consistency for us is not too thick, with few lentil grains intact but still creamy. Here’s the fun thing (though a bit time consuming) about my recipe: the two-step pressure cooking! First, I cook the lentils until they’re about 90% done. Then, I mix in the cut-up squash and finish cooking them together. Why? Because mushy lauki is no fun! If you add it at the beginning, it’ll vanish into the dal by the time the lentils are done.
Ingredients
Lauki- You will always find it in indian grocery stores. Most stores usually stock the slender ones, however if you spot a roundish one(that we call gol lauki),let me tell you that you are in luck because its so fleshy and tender(and ofcourse better in taste). Another place I always find lauki or opo squash is asian stores like 99 ranch or Seafood city(on west coast) . However, if not to be found use yellow summer squash instead. Some people like zucchini too, but I just feel that yellow squash tastes closer to lauki. Hing - Or Asafoetida is one of the most common tempering spice in indian cooking. Often labeled as “stinky”, however once included in cooking, it lends an umami flavor to our dal and dry curries. A little goes a long way and it has a long shelf life. If you happen to cook lentils often,I suggest you purchase online( via amazon) or indian grocery stores. Unfortunately, there’s no substitute.
Tempering
When it comes to tadka of dal, or tempering, every family has its own twist. Some go simple with just cumin seeds, skipping the garlic and onions, while others add a touch of black mustard seeds. I once tasted a delicious version at a friend’s place, where they used curry leaves in the tadka. There’s no right or wrong way to do it—just personal preference! I make a punjabi style tadka laced with cumin, onion, garlic in ghee. Together with ginger and tomatoes in the cooked dal- this tadka makes the finished dish taste like a lentil curry.
How to Make Lauki Chana Dal (Step Photos)
Boil The Chana Dal
Start ahead since you need to soak the lentils. Place chana dal in a large bowl and thoroughly wash the lentils under running water 2-3 times. Soak for 30-40 minutes in excess water. Drain and transfer the soaked lentils to a pressure cooker (3-4 litre) or steel insert of instant pot ( I use 3 quart). Add 3 cups of water. Add tomatoes, ginger, ghee, turmeric powder, hing and salt. Put on the lid and pressure cook the lentils on medium heat for 4-6 whistles until lentils are 90% cooked. Cooking time and number of whistles will depend on the quality of lentils, adjust as needed. Take the cooker off the heat and let sit on the counter. Let pressure release naturally. For IP, cook on high pressure for 8-9 minutes. For IP, after 5 minutes, release pressure manually.
Open the lid, with the help of a whisk or back of spoon, mash the lentils a little bit to cream them. Add the chopped lauki. Add ½ cup water (if needed) and return the pressure cooker to the stove. Let cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. For IP, pressure cook on normal for 2 minutes and then relase pressure after 5 minutes. Lauki will release its water so make sure that dal is not too runny at the beginning.
Temper The Dal
In a small sauce pan, warm up the ghee. Add the cumin seeds, let crackle, about 8-10 seconds. Add the whole dried chillies & hing. Lower the heat and immediately add the onions and garlic and let cook till are golden brown, taking care not to burn. Once onions are browned, switch off the stove and add the red chili powder. Immediately add the cooked dal to the tadka or add tadka on top of cooked lentils.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Add lemon juice (if desired for tang), garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm.
Tips
If you prefer soft cooked lauki, add it at the very beginning and then pressure cook along with lentils. You could just make chana dal using the same recipe without adding lauki. Or you could add different kinds of summer squash such as like zucchini, yellow squash, turai, or chayote squash. This dal thickens quite a lot as it cools down so make sure that the consistency of cooked dal is not very thick to begin with. You could add a splash of water while reheating to thin it out. For a vegan version, don’t use ghee. Instead use vegan butter or plant based oil. For a gluten free version- skip the hing. Make sure that the lentils are not more than 6 months old. They will be tough to cook and the taste might not be fresh. Sometimes, lauki has too many seeds, always check before adding to the dal. In such case, either scoop out the insides of lauki or don’t use it. Overripe lauki will be hard to cook.
