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Split bengal gram lentil

by:
March 21, 2011
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Split bengal gram lentil
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This simple chana dal or cholar dal recipe is a childhood favorite. I grew up in Calcutta, India, and this nutty, hearty yellow lentil soup studded with pieces of translucent green bottle gourd showed up frequently at mealtimes. It's a complete and nourishing meal when served with rice or Indian style bread. The dal can be made without the bottle gourd (called lauki, available in Indian grocery stores). The asafoetida (called heeng) too, can be omitted if not readily available. However, I do recommend using the other spices - cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric - for a warmly spiced flavor and aroma. —CalcuttaChow

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup split Bengal gram lentil, called chana dal or cholar dal
  • 1/2 of a 8-inch bottle gourd, called lauki, peeled and cubed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida, called heeng
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon clarified butter, called ghee (preferred) or oil
  • salt to taste
Directions
  1. Before beginning, wash and then soak the lentils in water for an hour. Discard the water, and place the lentils and the chopped bottle gourd pieces in a pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the lentils, such that the water level reaches about 1/4 inch above the lentils. At medium heat, wait for 3 whistles on the cooker, which is about 15 minutes of cooking time. Turn off the heat and put the cooker aside. Wait for the steam to release entirely before removing the lid. At this point the lentil and the bottle gourd should be soft and mash easily between your fingertips.
  2. Heat the ghee or oil in a separate heavy bottomed pot. When the ghee is hot, add the asafoetida and cumin seeds, along with the cinnamon stick and cloves. The cumin seeds should sputter a little. Immediately add the boiled lentil and bottle gourd mixture and stir. Add turmeric and salt and some water if too dry, and bring to boil on medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, before removing from the heat. You can add a pinch of garam masala if available, a squeeze of lemon and chopped coriander to serve.
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3 Reviews

CalcuttaChow
CalcuttaChow March 23, 2011
If you are going to use spinach, it occurred me to that onions, ginger and garlic, chopped and added initially to the ghee or oil after the initial tempering of cumin and asafoetida, make the dish extra delicious. The bottle gourd doesn't go well with the onion/ginger/garlic, but the spinach/and or carrot does.
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market March 23, 2011
Sounds delicious. Is there something you would suggest substituting for the bottle gourd, if not available?
 
CalcuttaChow
CalcuttaChow March 23, 2011
You could substitute carrots and chopped spinach for the bottle gourd.

I've also made a variation on this recipe using zucchini, that i've blogged about here http://calcuttachow.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/a-lentil-love-affair/. Zucchini cooks much faster than the bottle gourd, so I add it after pressure cooking the lentils.