Lauki chana dal - this is one of my favorite recipes! It is unbelievably easy to make and jam-packed with authentic flavors. I am sure lauki-haters will also love this curry.
At home, we call it “dudhi chana dal nu shaak” in Gujarati. You will get a medium spicy curry made from bottle gourd, bengal gram, tomatoes, and few spices.
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❤️Why I Love This Recipe
- It is a saatvik dish that means no onion no garlic recipe. Still, it tastes too good. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and read the reviews in the comments.
- This makes a healthy meal when served with phulka roti.
- You can pack into the lunch box with plain basmati rice in a separate container.
- My husband is the picky eater and he hates lauki. But when he tried this one, he loved it and asked for a second serving. So I am sure, your family’s lauki hater will like this.
- It is a one-pot dish when made in the instant pot. (shown in the video). Though you can make this on the stovetop as well. (Shown in step-by-step-photos).
🧾Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is the pic of the ingredients required to make lauki chana dal. The spices list looks long but these are all the basic Indian spice powders used in day-to-day cooking, nothing fancy here.
Ingredient Notes
Chana dal: It is called split bengal gram in English. This is the kind of lentils that requires longer cooking time. So it is advisable to soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Bottle Gourd: It is known as lauki, dudhi, ghia, opo squash in different Indian languages.
- Buying tips: Look for the one without cuts, blemishes, or oozing liquids from cuts. When you press, it should be firm, not feel too soft or spongy. Make sure to choose long and thin verity. The thicker in diameter, it has more seeds inside.
- When you chop, if you think the seeds are mature then scoop out the center and discard. If seeds are small and tender and leave them in.
- Substitute: Instead of bottle gourd, you can use ridge gourd, any kind of squash, zucchini, or pumpkin.
Hing: It is known as asafetida in English. It is added to help in easy digestion.
Lemon juice: It is MUST. it takes the flavor of the whole dish to the new level. Please do not skip.
Green chili: I have used Indian green chili. To reduce the spice level, discard the seeds. Instead, you can use serrano pepper.
🎥 Instant Pot Lauki Chana Dal Video
The detailed written instructions are below in the recipe card.
🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions (Stovetop)
1) Wash the chana dal under running cold water till water runs clear. Or rinse till water is not cloudy anymore. Soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Then discard the soaking water.
2) Take drained chana dal, chopped dudhi, salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Add water, mix and cover the cooker with lid.
3) Cook on medium heat for 7-8 whistles. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid.
4) Lightly mash it with the back of a spatula.
5) Now heat the oil in a small pan on medium heat. Once hot add hing and cumin seeds, let seeds sizzle. Then add chopped green chilies and saute for 30-40 seconds.
6) Add tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and spices (Red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala).
7) Mix and cook till tomatoes are soft and almost mushy.
8) Add this tomato mixture to the boiled dal-lauki mixture.
9) Mix well, add freshly chopped cilantro.
10) Squeeze fresh lemon juice, mix and serve.
💭Expert Tips:
- When cooking in Instant pot, always add garam masala after pressure cooking, so it retains its flavor and aroma.
- You can soak chana dal for up to 2 hours if you have time. But if in rush, 30 minutes soaking is recommended.
- Spice level: Adjust the amount of red chili powder and green chilies. The below-given quantity will give a medium spicy taste that you find in the average Indian household.
PS Tried this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback!
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📋 Recipe Card
Lauki Chana Dal (Instant Pot + Stovetop)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Chana dal (Split bengal gram)
- 3 cups Lauki (bottle gourd or dudhi)
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 ½ cups Tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 3 teaspoons Lemon juice or Lime juice
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
Dudhi Chana Dal On Stove Top:
- Wash the chana dal under running cold water till water runs clear. Or rinse till water is not cloudy anymore.
- Soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Then discard the soaking water.
- Take drained chana dal, chopped dudhi, salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Add water, mix and cover the cooker with lid. Cook on medium heat for 7-8 whistles.
- Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Lightly mash it with the back of a spatula.
- Now heat the oil in a small pan on medium heat. Once hot add hing and cumin seeds, let seeds sizzle.
- Then add chopped green chilies and saute for 30-40 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and spices (Red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala). Mix and cook till tomatoes are soft and almost mushy.
- Add this tomato mixture to the boiled dal-lauki mixture.
- Add lemon juice and cilantro. Mix well and serve.
Instant Pot Lauki Chana Dal Recipe:
- Wash and soak the dal for at least 30 minutes, then discard the soaking water.
- Turn the instant pot on with saute mode. Once hot add oil and cumin seeds. Let the seeds sizzle.
- Then add green chilies and saute for 30-40 seconds.
- Now add hing and turmeric powder. Immediately add tomatoes and salt and cook till tomatoes are soft and almost mushy.
- Now add red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt, mix and cook for a minute.
- Add chana dal, chopped lauki, water, and mix.
- Cover with the lid, position the vent to seal, cook on manual (high pressure) for 8 minutes. Let it NPR, once pin drops to open the lid.
- Add garam masala, cilantro, and lemon juice. Mix. If it's too watery then turn on the saute mode and let it simmer. But keep in mind that it thickens as it sits.
Notes
- When cooking in Instant pot, always add garam masala after pressure cooking, so it retains its flavor and aroma.
- You can soak chana dal for up to 2 hours if you have time. But if in rush, 30 minutes soaking is recommended.
- Spice level: Adjust the amount of red chili powder and green chilies. The below-given quantity will give a medium spicy taste that you find in the average Indian household.
- Bottle gourd buying tips: Looks for the one without cuts, blemishes, or oozing liquids from cuts. When you press, it should be firm, not feel too soft or spongy. Make sure to choose long and thin verity. The thicker in diameter, it has more seeds inside. When you chop, if you think the seeds are mature then scoop out the center and discard. If seeds are small and tender and leave them in.
- Bottle gourd substitution: you can use ridge gourd, any kind of squash, zucchini, or pumpkin.
Ashish Gupta
Hi Kanan,
I made this last night and was absolutely delicious. Soaked chana in the morning thinking it'll be for lunch, but didn't get to it for dinner. I think the soak helped -- the 8 minutes in the instant pot was perfect.
Added lime instead of lemon but you're right -- it was absolutely the right thing to do. I was skeptical of the green chili, red chili powder AND garam masala - but it added a wonderful warmth. A tad too spicy for the little ones, but was a warm hug. And it was nice not having something with the usual onion/garlic/tomato gravy.
Thank you.
Kanan Patel
Very glad that you liked it.
Thank you for Ashish for the detailed feedback.
Michelle
Delicious
Kanan Patel
Thank you