Lauki Chana Daal Recipe

🌿 Healthy Comfort Food 🌿

✨ Lauki Chana Daal ✨

A nourishing, vegan Indian recipe that’s super simple and packed with protein! This dish combines the wholesome goodness of chana daal and bottle gourd (aka lauki) with fragrant spices, making it perfect for a hearty meal. Plus, it's loaded with nutrients and flavor!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup split chana daal (a type of lentil)

1 medium-sized lauki (bottle gourd)

½ - 1 cup grated coconut

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds

¼ tbsp fenugreek seeds

¼ tbsp kalonji seeds

1 pinch hing (asafoetida)

1 twig curry leaves

1 tbsp fresh ginger-green chili paste

1½ tbsp coriander powder

⅓ tbsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

¼ cup fresh minced coriander leaves

Lemon juice to taste

Instructions:

1. Pre-soak the chana daal for 4-8 hours and boil till tender. Also, wash and dice the lauki.

2. For tempering, heat oil in a pan and add cumin, fennel, fenugreek, and kalonji seeds, roasting on low heat. Then add ginger-green chili paste, curry leaves, and hing (asafoetida). Roast for 1 minute. Add coriander and turmeric powder, roast for 2 more minutes, then add coconut and roast another minute.

3. Add 1 cup of water and salt to the pan. Add the lauki and cook covered for 10-15 minutes until soft.

4. Add the boiled chana daal, mix well, and cook for 5 more minutes. Adjust water as needed.

5. Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander leaves and a splash of lemon juice. Enjoy with rice or your favorite Indian bread (whole wheat roti, or vegan naan). 

This dish is as easy to make as it is delicious — perfect for a wholesome lunch or dinner! 🌱