Dudhi Chana Ni Daal nu Shaak

This is one of my favorite Gujarati dishes. I don’t like dudhi (bottle gourd), but when it is cooked along with chana daal, I think anyone can eat it:)

Here is what you will need to make this curry:

½ Cup Chana daal (soaked in water atleast for 3 hours)
1 Small Tender Dudhi/bottle gourd (apprx 500 gms), peeled and cut into medium size pieces
1 Cup Water
Salt to Taste
1/2 Teaspoon Gud/Jaggery (Optional)
1-1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder, or to taste
1-1/2 Teaspoon Dhaniya Jeera Powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala (Optional)
2 Teaspoon Oil
¼ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
A Pinch Asafoetida

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds start crackling, add the jeera seeds. When the jeera seeds stop crackling, add the asafoetida. Cook for half a minute, then add the cut dudhi and cover immediately and cook for a minute. Now add salt, stir and cook covered for 2 minutes. Now add ½ cup water and the jaggery. Turn the heat to medium and cook covered until the dudhi is almost done (about 7-10 minutes). Keep stirring occasionally. Add water if needed. Once the dudhi is almost done, add the soaked and drained chana dal. Add more water if needed and cook covered until the daal is almost done. Now add the chili powder, turmeric powder, dhaniya-jeera powder, and garam masala if using, and mix well. Turn the heat to low, and cook covered until the dal is done. Make sure that the daals don’t break in the whole process of making this subzi.

Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Note/Tip: I drain the daal before I start making the subzi and save the water. I use this water to make the subzi.

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