Chane di dal te ghiya
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Split Bengal gram cooked with bottle gourd, tomato and a ghee tempering, a light everyday dal of Punjabi homes.
Region: PunjabOccasion: Everyday lunch and dinnerTime: 45 min + soakingServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chana dal, soaked 1 hour
- 2 cups bottle gourd (ghiya/lauki), peeled and cubed
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 onion and 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped ginger and 1 green chilli
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of hing, 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp ghee
- Salt and fresh coriander
Method
- Pressure-cook the chana dal and bottle gourd with turmeric, salt and 3 cups water for 3–4 whistles until soft but not mushy.
- Heat ghee, add cumin and hing, then the onion, ginger and green chilli. Fry until golden.
- Add the tomato and chilli powder and cook until soft.
- Pour the tempering into the dal, simmer 5 minutes and garnish with coriander. Serve with roti or rice.
History
Chana dal is made from gram, a major rabi pulse of Punjab. Cooking dal with a vegetable is a thrifty, everyday home habit.
Significance
This mild dal is a weekday staple and is often cooked for children, elders and anyone recovering from illness.