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Home » Recipes » Dal

Lauki Chana Dal

Modified: Dec 19, 2022 · Published: Jan 3, 2016 by Famidha Ashraf · 1 Comment

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This Lauki Chana Dal is a simple North-Indian-style vegetarian curry. We use Bottle gourd and bengal gram cooked with tomato and spices. Though I have used a pressure cooker it is okay to use a sauce pot or Instant pot. Serve this simple and healthy dal with rice or paratha.

bottle gourd chickpea lentil curry
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to store lauki?
  • How to make it?
  • FAQ
  • Recipes using Chana Dal
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Comments

With bottle gourd, you can make both savoury and sweet dishes! Lauki Paratha, Lauki Kheer, Lauki yoghurt curry, Lauki koftas, Lauki Chicken, Louki Gosht, etc. I can proudly say that Lauki is to us what Zucchini is to the west.

Lauki chana dal is a simple humble dal recipe that goes superbly well with roti, onion paratha or a bowl of rice.

Ingredients

  • ghee: you can use a mix of butter and oil.
  • cumin seeds
  • veggies: bottle gourd, ginger, green chillies, red onion, tomatoes and coriander leaves
  • ground spices: turmeric, red chilli, garam masala, hing and kasuri methi
  • chana dal: wash and soak for at least an hour or overnight to cook quicker and tastier.
lauki chana dal with rice

How to store lauki?

If you are new to this veggie, you can check my Lauki paratha post where I have shared how to use bottle gourd in cooking.

To store a cut lauki, make sure to cling wrap the cut side and place it in a plastic bag in the fridge. This way, it stays fresh for 4 to 5 days.

To store peeled and cut lauki then keep them submerged in water in a box and keep refrigerated. This will keep them fresh for at least 3 days.

In my mother tongue, this dish would be chorakka in kadala parippu.

How to make it?

The whole process of making lauki chana dal starts and ends in a pressure cooker or instant pot if you will.

ghee in pressure cooker pan

Heat ghee or oil in a pressure cooker on medium flame.

cumin seeds in hot ghee

Add cumin and let it crackle for a few seconds. This can easily get burnt if the heat is high.

frying finely chopped ginger

Add the finely chopped ginger

green chillies with ginger

and green chillies and sauté for a couple of minutes.

finey chopped red onions

Add the onions and sauté till they become translucent.

ground spices

Stir in all the ground spice powders and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.

ripe tomatoes chopped chunky

Add the tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes soften and the oil start releasing from the onion-tomato masala.

soaked chana dal

Dump the soaked chana dal...

chopped bottle gourd lauki

...the chopped bottle gourd, salt and water and stir.

pressure cooking

Cover with the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle on a high flame reduce the flame to medium and cook for two to three more whistles. Do not open until the pressure releases on its own.

fresh coriander and garam masala to finish off

Add the chopped coriander leaves and crushed kasoori methi and a sprinkle of garam masala.

serve lauki chana dal with roti and rice

Serve lauki dal hot with any Indian flatbreads or rice.

FAQ

What is chana dal in English?

Chana dal is hindi for split chickpeas or chickpea lentils or bengal gram.

Is Dudhi same as Lauki?

Yes, Dudhi or doodhi, ghiya, churanga, chorakka are same as Lauki or louki. These are some of the Indian names for the vegetable, Bottle Gourd - which by the way, is also called opo squash or calabash or long melon etc. So many different names for this vegetable which is highly nutritious and versatile!

What can be made from chana dal?

Chana dal can be used to make several regional Indian dishes randing from simple dal to dal fry, shami kebabs, tikkis, parippu vada, dal gosht, etc.

Recipes using Chana Dal

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    Rava Upma Recipe
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    Sambar Powder
  • semiya upma recipe served with boiled eggs
    Semiya Upma | Vermicelli Upma
  • dal gosht served with ghee rice
    Dal Gosht | Lentil and Meat Curry
lauki chana dal

📖 Recipe Card

lauki chana dal recipe

Lauki Chana Dal

Savor the wholesome goodness of Lauki Chana Dal! This nutritious Indian dish combines tender bottle gourd (lauki) with protein-packed split chickpeas (chana dal) in a mildly spiced, comforting curry. Perfect with rice or chapati, this simple recipe is healthy, delicious, and easy to make. Try it for a cozy, satisfying meal!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Soaking Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 271.4kcal
Author: Famidha Ashraf
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger, or 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 3 to 5 green chillies, slit
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 pinch asafoetida, hing
  • 2 medium-sized tomatoes, finely chopped
  • ½ cup chana dal , washed and soaked for at least an hour hour in lukewarm water
  • 350 grams chopped bottle gourd, approx 2 cups
  • 1 cup water, for pressure cooking
  • Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi, dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between hands
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker on medium flame.
    2 tablespoons ghee
  • Add cumin and let it crackle.
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Add the ginger and green chillies and sauté for a couple of minutes.
    1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
    3 to 5 green chillies
  • Add the onions and sauté till they become translucent.
    1 medium onion
  • Add all the ground spice powders and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
    ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    1 teaspoon red chilli powder
    ½ teaspoon garam masala
    1 pinch asafoetida
  • Add the tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes soften and the oil start releasing from the onion-tomato masala.
    2 medium-sized tomatoes
  • Add the soaked chana dal, the chopped bottle gourd, salt and water and stir.
    ½ cup chana dal
    350 grams chopped bottle gourd
    1 cup water
    salt to taste
  • Cover with the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle on a high flame reduce the flame to medium and cook for two to three more whistles. Do not open until the pressure releases on its own.
  • Open the lid and check its consistency and bring it to desired consistency by simmering to make it thick or adding more water to make it thin.
  • Add the chopped coriander leaves and crushed kasoori methi and a sprinkle of garam masala.
    Fresh coriander leaves
    1 teaspoon kasuri methi
  • Serve lauki dal hot with any Indian flatbreads or rice.

Video

Notes

You can watch the Instagram reel for this recipe.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 271.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.09g | Protein: 10.15g | Fat: 11.65g
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, North Indian
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

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Comments

  1. Famidha Ashraf says

    February 06, 2025 at 4:11 pm

    5 stars
    I never changed this recipe until recently. This is a great dal curry as is, but you can also spruce it up. If you are missing the non-veg flavour, just add some flavour-packed homemade chicken stock or meat stock and thank me later!

    Reply
5 from 1 vote

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Mr.F and Famidha

Hey, I'm Famidha

An Indian chai lover in the UAE. As a passionate food blogger, I share a diverse collection of recipes spanning the Middle East and South Asia. With each dish, I aim to spark your culinary curiosity and encourage you to try new flavours and cooking methods.

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