Lauki Moong Daal Ki Subzi

Bottle gourd cooked with yellow lentils,fresh herbs and mild spices

Lauki/bottle gourd is a summer special vegetable.It has excellent nutritional benefits and is very low in calories,but still neglected and disliked by children and many people.
It is easy and simple to cook and you can experiment and  make a variety of dishes with this veggie .My family loves bottle gourd so I make variety of dishes with this.I have also posted  Doodhi Yakhni,  lauki halwa, Lauki raita , kofta curry ,lauki chana dal.  
 Today I made this simple and easy lauki and moong daal curry with fresh herbs and very little fat.

INGREDIENTS-
preparation time-15 minutes
cooking time 10 minute
serve-4

• Lauki/Bottlegourd-700 gms
• Yellow lentil/moong daal-1/4 cup
• Water-2.5 cup
• Turmeric-1/2 tsp
• Chili powder-1/4 tsp (optional)
• Salt-to taste
• Ginger,chopped-3/4 tsp
• Fresh coriander,chopped-2 tbsp
• lemon juice-1.5 tsp
• Sugar-1/4 tsp

Tempering-

• Ghee or cooking oil- 1.5 tbsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Green chilies,chopped-1 .5 tsp
• Curry leaves -8
• Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp
• Whole red chilies-2

PROCEDURE-

1. Wash and soak moong daal/lentil in water for 10 minutes.
2. Wash,peel and chop lauki/bottle gourd in medium size pieces.
3. Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker,then add cumin seeds.
4. As soon as seeds start crackling add all the ingredients of tempering.
5. Stir fry till cumin become golden in colour.
6. Now add soaked daal,chopped lauki, salt,turmeric and chili powder.
7. Stir for few seconds and then add water and pressure cook for 4 whistles on medium heat or cook till become soft.
8. Open the cooker when cool down completely and add ginger and a pinch of sugar(can add some  hot water to adjust the consistency) and give it a boil.
9. Now remove the cooker from the flame and add lemon juice and chopped coriander in the curry
10. Serve with roti or any Indian bread.