As the name suggests, this creamy Khatta Meetha Lauki Dal has the tanginess of lime juice and tomatoes and the sweetness of jaggery harmoniously blended with the citrus-y coriander leaves and a kick of spice from ginger and green chillies. Those who are familiar with the Indian food will know that the lentils are an everyday part of our meals in every season. There are numerous ways to prepare this comfort food; with different cooking methods, different ingredients and also different ways of tempering them. There are no set rules for making Indian dal; a pinch of this and a handful of that will give a delicious pot of comforting dal.The recipe I am sharing here uses tender bottle gourd with peels, making it a hearty, nutritious and comforting bowl of deliciousness! You can serve it on its own as a comforting bowl of soup or pair it with rotis or plain steamed rice with a dollop of ghee and pickle and experience how it warps you in its warmth like a mother’s hug. This golden hued dal is hearty, bold and completely satisfying to kick away any gloominess or miseries of life and lift your spirit even on the bleakest days!
Ingredients:
2 cups Toor Dal/Split Pigeon Peas, I have used unpolished toor dal
1 small or approx. 4-5 heaped cups tender Lauki/Dudhi/Bottle Gourd, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes with peels
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 medium Tomato, roughly chopped
1 – 1½ tbsp. Jaggery/Brown Sugar (Adjust as per taste)
1 cup Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Juice from 1 fresh Lime (Adjust as per taste)
Salt to taste
For the Spice Paste:
1 inch Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3-4 large cloves of Garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 Green Chillies, stems removed and roughly chopped (Adjust as per taste)
A generous pinch of Salt
1 tbsp. Oil or Ghee
Spices Used:
1 tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves/Kasuri Methi (Optional, but recommended)
For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2-3 Dry Red Chillies, halved
½ tsp powdered Hing/Asafoetida
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder/Paprika
1 tbsp. Oil or Ghee
Method:
Click on the link below for the recipe complete with little tips and tricks.
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