Bottlegourd-Spinach Dal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup toor dal (red gram/lentil)
• 1 cup bottlegourd (lauki, sorakaya), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 cups spinach (palak), chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

For Masala

• 3 tsp coriander seeds (dhania)
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 3-4 green chillies (adjust to taste)
• 1/4-inch piece ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup coconut, freshly grated or dried
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves (coriander leaves), chopped
  

For Seasoning

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• Asafoetida powder (hing), a pinch
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)

Preparation

1. Cook the toor dal in the pressure cooker with 1 1/4 cups water and a little turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles.
   
   
2. In a deep saucepan, boil bottlegourd and spinach with 1/4 cup water, salt, and a little turmeric powder.
   
   
3. While the veggies are cooking, grind the masala in a spice grinder - coconut, green chillies, and cumin seeds - with a little water into a coarse paste.
   
   
4. When the bottlegourd is almost tende, add the ground masala and boil for 2-3 minutes until the bottlegourd and masala are fully cooked.
   
   
5. Mash and add the cooked dal to the vegetables along with salt a needed.
   
   
6. Heat oil in a small pan for the seasoning. Add hing and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Pour over the bottlegourd-spinach dal and stir.
   
   
7. Let the dal come to a boil.
   
   
8. Serve hot with hot rice and ghee or with roti.

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